Bedell, who worked as the Advisory Chair of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival last year, will succeed Hincks when his four year stint ends after the 35^th annual festival this year.

Bedell is now in charge of some of the highest-rating entertainment shows in the UK after moving from her role as the BBC’s Controller of Entertainment Commissioning in March 2009.  She oversees a range of hit shows from the X Factor, Dancing on Ice, Britain’s Got Talent and I’m A Celebrity, to Benidorm, Piers Morgan’s Life Stories and The Brits.

Hincks, who took over the role in 2006 from Dawn Airey, said: “Running the TV Festival for four years had been a privilege and a pleasure. The team around me have been fantastic and Elaine will be a superb executive chair. The festival is in the safest of hands, allowing me to gracefully retire and spend more time with my shareholders.”

Bedell said: “Tim has consistently succeeded in making this the media event of the year and I will endeavour to ensure that it remains this way.  I want to make sure the Television Festival provides an irresistible invitation for all the key figures in our industry.  And that Edinburgh at the end of the summer is the place and the time for all the crucial debates and conversations about the future of television and new media. As well, of course, as offering the opportunity for some fun…”

Hincks will hand over at the end of the 2010 festival.

MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival 2010 will take place 27-29 August 2010. For further details visit http://www.mgeitf.co.uk/home/mgeitf.aspx

 Note to Editors:

A unique opportunity for individuals from across the media to share ideas, make new contacts and reconnect with friends and colleagues, the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival offers delegates a varied programme of topical debates, one to one networking opportunities, master classes and keynote lectures from leading UK and international media figures. The Festival programme is developed by an Advisory Committee made up of individuals from across the industry.

The MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival is a delegate entry event which annually attracts over 2000 delegates from all sectors and levels of the industry.  To find out more, and to register, please visit www.mgeitf.co.uk

MGEITF is a charitable organisation which supports and develops new talent from all backgrounds through its two talent schemes, The Network and Fast Track.  Approximately one third of the delegate fees go towards supporting these initiatives.

MGEITF Press Information:

Taylor Herring PR Tel: 0208 206 5151

As Chair, Turness will be responsible for the editorial direction of the Festival’s programme – from commissioning session ideas to overseeing final production. Working closely with the Festival Office, the Advisory Chair brings together a committee from across the entire industry to advise and produce festival sessions.

Turness has been Editor of ITV News since 2004 and is the first female editor of network news in the UK and the youngest editor of ITV News. In 2008 she received the “Women in Film and Television” New and Factual Award. This month her programmes have won an Emmy for coverage of the Chinese earthquake and a BAFTA earlier this year for the same story. Previously, she has presided over a series of scoops and world exclusives including video of the arrest of the London bombers, the leaked report on the shooting of innocent Brazilian Jean-Charles De Menezes and exposing the extent of Charles Kennedy’s drink problem for which ITV News won Scoop Of The Year at the 2007 RTS Awards. Under her leadership ITV News has made history when they became the first news organisation to anchor whole programmes from Antarctica in 2007.

Prior to joining ITV News, Turness was Deputy Editor of ITV News and Deputy Editor of Five News. She was also ITN’s Washington Bureau Producer during the Clinton White House years, spent time in Bosnia during the Balkans War and was North of England producer. Turness began her career at ITN as a freelance producer in the Paris Bureau.

Tim Hincks, Executive Committee Chair 2010 and Chief Executive, Endemol UK, said: “I’m delighted Deborah is going to be Edinburgh’s advisory chair next year. It’ll be a pretty quiet year for her – what with running the ITV news operation, ITV’s election coverage and now the UK’s premier multimedia event, but she’s a force of nature and I know will deliver a brilliant Edinburgh.”

Turness, added: “I am very pleased to have been invited to chair next year’s Festival. Elaine Bedell produced an excellent, headline-grabbing Festival this year, and I am looking forward to working with the committee to create some equally newsworthy, compelling and entertaining sessions next year.”

Previous advisory chairs have included Elaine Bedell, ITV’s Director of Entertainment & Comedy; Andrew Mackenzie, C4 Head of Factual Entertainment; Alison Sharman, ITV’s Director of Factual and Daytime. Tim Hincks, Chief Executive of Endemol UK, Celador’s Head of Factual Entertainment Murray Boland, Tiger Aspect’s Charles Brand, Cheetah Television’s Creative Director Sara Ramsden, ITV’s Director of Global Content Dawn Airey, BBC Director General Mark Thompson and Discovery USA’s Jane Root.

This year’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Festival attracted delegates not only from the UK but across the globe from South Africa to Finland, the USA and Australia. The Festival is a charitable organisation which also runs two free talent schemes — The Network and Fast Track — helping young people from a diverse range of backgrounds to get in and get on in the industry. 2009 saw both schemes attract a record number of applicants.

Comedian Russell Howard was the opening night speaker for the Network and then delegates participated in workshops and masterclasses from amongst others the stars and writer of The Inbetweeners (Simon Bird, James Buckley and Iain Morris), Charlie Brooker, Jay Hunt and Julian Bellamy.

Two Fast Track delegates walked away with commissions from UKTV Dave at Fast Track’s live pitch; Sam Ward from Tiger Aspect and freelancer Rob Holloway. They both received a £15,000 commission for 3×3′ programmes which are due to be delivered in April 2010.

The Network and Fast Track are funded through the MGEITF, with approximately one-third of delegate fees going towards these schemes.

–ENDS–

Notes to Editors:

About MGEITF:

Click here for more information http://www.mgeitf.co.uk

A unique opportunity for individuals from across the media to share ideas, make new contacts and reconnect with friends and colleagues, the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival offers delegates a varied programme of topical debates, one to one networking opportunities, Masterclasses and Keynote Lectures from leading UK and international media figures. The Festival programme is developed by an Advisory Committee made up of individuals from across the industry. The MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival is a delegate entry event which annually attracts over 2000 delegates from all sectors and levels of the industry. MGEITF is a charitable organisation which supports and develops new talent from all backgrounds through its two talent schemes, The Network and Fast Track. Approximately one third of the delegate fees go towards supporting these initiatives.

MGEITF Press Information/press accreditation:
Taylor Herring PR. Tel: + 44 (0)208 206 5151

As part of the new deal the much-anticipated television awards ceremony will move in its 15th anniversary year to the 20,000 capacity O2 arena in Greenwich, London and will also move from its traditional autumn slot and be broadcast live in January 2010 on ITV1.

After hosting the prestigious awards ceremony since 1996, Sir Trevor McDonald has decided to relinquish his role as presenter and Dermot O’Leary can today be confirmed as the National Television Awards’ new host.

ITV’s Director of Entertainment and Comedy, Elaine Bedell said: “I’m delighted to announce this new deal which secures the NTAs – the most popular television awards, as chosen by viewers – on ITV1 until 2011 at a fantastic new home in the O2 arena.

“I’m also very pleased to be announcing Dermot as the new host of the awards, and I have no doubt that he’s the right man to continue the excellent job that Sir Trevor has done over the last 13 years.”

Executive Producer of the National Television Awards, Kim Turberville, said: “The bedrock of the NTAs is the massive nationwide poll in which the public choose all the winners with millions of votes cast each year. The exciting move to the much larger O2 arena means we can strengthen our bond with viewers still further by accommodating even more members of the public, and staging the NTAs biggest event ever!”

“Sir Trevor McDonald has been a sure hand on the tiller over the past years and coped magnificently with a live and unpredictable show. Now we go in to our fifteenth year in a new venue with a great new host at the rostrum who we are confident can build on Sir Trevor’s success and contribute to the NTA’s position as Britain’s favourite awards ceremony.”

Dermot O’Leary said: “The NTA’s have always been one of the biggest nights in British Television and what makes it extra special is the fact that all the winners are 100% voted for by the viewers. Taking over from Sir Trevor is a daunting prospect but it’s a genuine honour and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m especially looking forward to compering the EastEnders/Coronation Street blood feud. May the best soap win!”

Sir Trevor McDonald said: “I’ve had great fun hosting the National Television Awards, but after 13 years I think it is the right time to relinquish my role as presenter.”

The National Television Awards are the only television awards to be 100 percent voted for by the UK public in a huge nationwide poll. The voting for the 15th NTA will open in September 2009.

To be sure of joining the stars on their big night out at the NTAs, simply call Ticketmaster on 0844 8472536 when lines open from 9am on Friday 17th July. Or you can visit the website at www.theo2.co.uk/nta.

For further information: Taylor Herring PR on 020 8206 5151 or Justin.jeffreys@taylorherring.com

Richards will be interviewed by ITV’s Director of Television Peter Fincham, who last year criticised Ofcom for being out of touch with viewers and argued that over regulation could ‘kill television’, in the Festival’s MacTaggart lecture.

Since becoming CEO in 2006, Richards has come under increasing scrutiny from broadcasters and the media alike as he maps out Ofcom’s vision for Public Service Broadcasting and a Broadband Britain. The Q&A will address the key issues surrounding these policies and is guaranteed to be a dynamic debate and a session not to be missed at the festival.

Prior to joining Ofcom, Richards was Tony Blair’s senior policy advisor for media, telecoms, the internet and e-government. He also served as the BBC’s controller of corporate strategy. Richards began his career as a researcher with Diverse Production Ltd where he worked on programmes for Channel 4.

Elaine Bedell, Advisory Chair of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Advisory Committee, said: “We feel it’s essential that the industry’s regulator is held to account at Edinburgh, television’s key festival. And we want to make sure we address the important issues of Public Service Broadcasting, Broadband Britain and regulation – and what better way to do this than a lively debate with Peter who was publicly critical of the regulator at this festival last year.”

This year’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Festival has already announced James Murdoch, chairman of Newscorp as this year’s MacTaggart and Robert Peston, who will deliver the Richard Dunn Memorial Lecture as well as a Masterclass from the highly acclaimed writer of The Wire, David Simon.

Registration for the 2009 MGEITF is now open. The early bird rate of £425 + VAT is currently available until June 30. Click here for more information http://www.mgeitf.co.uk/home/mgeitf.aspx

MGEITF Press Information:
Debra Johnson, Taylor Herring PR. Tel: 0208 206 5151 debra.johnson@taylorherring.com

Instituted 33 years ago to open the annual Edinburgh International Television Festival, the prestigious MacTaggart Lecture always attracts major names in UK and international broadcasting and is known for producing controversial and agenda-setting speeches.

Other past MacTaggart speakers include Peter Fincham, Dennis Potter, Michael Grade, Janet Street-Porter, Ted Turner, Peter Bazalgette, Greg Dyke, David Liddiment, Mark Thompson, Tony Ball, John Humphrys, Lord Birt, Charles Allen, Jeremy Paxman and Rupert Murdoch, who delivered a seminal speech in 1989.

James Murdoch said, “I am honoured to have been invited to deliver the MacTaggart this year. Our industry is so clearly at a turning point that now is a good time to consider the right way forward for the industry, for regulators and, most importantly, for our customers.”

Elaine Bedell, 2009 MGEITF Advisory Chair and Director of Entertainment and Comedy, ITV, said, “‘I’m very pleased that James Murdoch has agreed to deliver this year’s MacTaggart. He has a unique perspective on our industry, having worked across television, publishing and digital businesses worldwide, and he’ll be able to provide festival delegates with very welcome insights on a global media industry which is currently undergoing crisis and evolution.”

Tim Hincks, MGEITF Executive Chair and CEO of Endemol UK added, “A great Edinburgh starts with a great MacTaggart and securing James Murdoch for our key address is a real coup – proving yet again that the festival is the one media event you simply cannot afford to miss.”

The MacTaggart Lecture will take place on Friday 28th August at 18.45pm.

James Murdoch has worked across a broad range of media businesses – since 2007, as Chairman and Chief Executive, Europe and Asia, News Corporation, with responsibility for the strategic and operational development of News Corporation’s television, newspaper and related digital assets in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

He has been Non-Executive Chairman of BSkyB since 2007 following four years as Chief Executive at the company. During his time at BSkyB, the company accelerated its rate of growth, expanded into residential telecoms and broadband and increased its commitment to investing in programming. Under his leadership, BSkyB became the first major media company to become carbon neutral, a commitment that has been embraced by News Corporation. Before joining Sky, James spent three years as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of STAR, News Corporation’s Asian satellite television and multimedia group.

Note to Editors:
Registration for the 2009 MGEITF is now open. The early bird rate of £488.75 including VAT is currently available until May 29th. Click here for more information http://www.mgeitf.co.uk/home/mgeitf.aspx

About MGEITF
A unique opportunity for individuals from across the media to share ideas, make new contacts and reconnect with friends and colleagues, MGEITF offers delegates a varied programme of topical debates, one to one networking opportunities, masterclasses and keynote lectures from leading UK and international media figures. The Festival programme is developed by an Advisory Committee made up of individuals from across the industry.

MGEITF  is a delegate entry event which annually attracts over 2000 delegates from all sectors and levels of the industry. To find out more, and to register, please visit www.mgeitf.co.uk

MGEITF is a charitable organisation which supports and develops new talent from all backgrounds through its two talent schemes, The Network and Fast Track. Approximately one third of the delegate fees go towards supporting these initiatives.

MGEITF Press Information:
Debra Johnson, Taylor Herring PR. Tel: 0208 206 5151 Email:debra.johnson@taylorherring.com