ITV has hired Annelies van den Belt as the managing director of its broadband team ahead of the launch of its new broadband portal in 2007. The broadcaster has already announced the expansion of its ITV Local broadband service and last November appointed US creative technology house Schematic to work on the new portal.
Van den Belt joins from Telegraph Media Group, where she was director of new media, and previously worked for News International. Her responsibilities stretch from commercial to operational delivery including advertising and transactional revenues, content production and commissioning. Alongside will be head of consumer experience Tanya Lidstone and head of technology Steve White.
The broadband portal will feature a simulcast of ITV’s broadcast output, a 30-day catch up service, a 1,000-hour archive, previews and downloads of key programmes.
Channel 4 has already launched its 4oD broadband portal while the BBC’s proposed iPlayer is currently the subject of a Public Value Test. (JC)

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