Videotron man gets CWC job

Cable & Wireless Communications, the newly formed cable TV and telecoms conglomerate, has appointed an executive to take control of the company's relationship with broadcasters.

Peter Howard, marketing and programming director at Videotron, has taken on a similar role at CWC. Mr Howard officially becomes director of content and programming at CWC, with responsibilities for buying channels to transmit to cable subscribers.

Graham Wallace, chief executive, said Mr Howard would report directly to him, and added: "He's going to handle our relationship with Sky and other programme providers."

Mr Howard's role will be increasingly important as CWC gears up for the launch of digital cable television either later this year or at the beginning of 1998. Digital compression will offer consumers hundreds more channels.

CWC is the product of last year's merger of Cable & Wireless's Mercury subsidiary with three cable operators, Bell Cablemedia, Nynex CableComms, and Videotron.

CWC, which floated on the stock market in April, is currently in the throes of a process of rationalisation which will lead to 500 job losses. Staff have been offered loyalty bonuses to stay until the reorganisation is complete.