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Anne Morrison, Director of the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy, announced today that Donna Taberer has been appointed to the role of Head of Public Service Partnerships, Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy.

In this role, Donna will implement the Academy's external strategy, engaging with industry training bodies and major stakeholders. A significant part of the role is exploring how the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú can share as much training as possible with the wider broadcasting industry as part of its public service mission.

Donna will seek to build mutually beneficial partnerships with other UK broadcasters and outside training bodies. She will aim to create a wide ranging external training plan which meets industry needs appropriately; and, subject to fair trading considerations, makes much of the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy's wide range of learning resources freely available outside the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú.

Donna was, until the end of last week, Head of Entertainment and Features at Five, where she commissioned and executive-produced programmes working with talent such as Justin Lee Collins and Emma Bunton. She began her career as a print journalist working on national and regional titles, before joining the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú in 1990 as a researcher on That's Life. From then until 2006, Donna went on to work on programmes across a range of genres such as daytime, chat, cookery, crime, and documentaries, including programmes like Watchdog and the National Lottery. She worked in a number of senior editorial and management roles including Chief Assistant, Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Features and Events, Managing Editor of Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Leisure and Factual Entertainment, group managing editor of Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú General Factual, Deputy Controller of Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Documentaries and Contemporary Factual, and Deputy Controller of Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Factual and Learning.

She left the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú for Sky One in 2006 as Commissioning Editor, Entertainment, working with talent such as Ricky Hatton, Wayne Rooney and Robbie Williams, and joined Five in August 2009.

Anne Morrison said: "I am delighted that we have been able to appoint someone of Donna's calibre and track record, and to bring her back to the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy is increasingly working in partnership with outside training bodies and Donna's role will be vital in helping to identify skills gaps in the industry and ensuring that the mobile workforce on which the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú depends is equipped with the required skills."

Donna Taberer said: "Training has always been a passion and it's great to be returning to the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú in such a critical role. This is a unique opportunity to combine my Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú and commercial experience. I'm looking forward to working at the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy and with partners across the industry."

Notes to Editors

The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy, launched in December 2009, is the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's centre for training. It houses the Colleges of Journalism, Production, Leadership and the Centre of Technology. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Academy aims to put training and development at the heart of broadcasting by equipping both Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú staff and the wider industry with the skills they need for a lifetime of employability in an ever-changing media landscape.

The Academy focuses on providing high-quality training to all Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú staff and on building external relationships to extend the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's training resources to the wider industry. A portfolio, which includes face-to-face courses, online programmes and a variety of development initiatives, ensures that training is relevant and effective for both the individual and the business.

We aim to share as much of our training as possible with the wider UK broadcasting industry for free. We also offer some of our courses on a commercial basis, both within the UK and abroad.

Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Press Office