AOP restructure

The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) is restructuring its current co-chairmanship structure following the appointment of Lee Baker as Director in September this year. Lee was tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the AOP internally and researching the views of its members and stakeholders: his proposals have been presented to the Board.

Amongst several changes recommended, including managing a process for the AOP to operate independently of PPA; the co-Chair structure will be dissolved, and Tim Faircliff, General Manager of Consumer Media at Thomson Reuters will remain as the current Chairman of the AOP. Dominic Collins, Group Director of Trader Media Group, who was initially appointed in September 2009 will step down from his co-Chair role for the AOP.

The review was made with the full consultation of the co-Chairs, the executive Board, and members; including discussion with the various AOP committees.

Explaining the review, Lee Baker, Director of AOP says, “It was felt that with my role now bedded in, the co-Chair structure, whilst operating effectively during 2009 has added unnecessary structure for the current requirement of the AOP. Through talking to our membership, and obviously developing a strategy with the team at AOP – it seems more effective to return to the ‘one Chairman’ configuration.”

“In the short time I’ve been here I’ve been most grateful to all the AOP team – and am indebted to Dominic for his input while co-Chair. We hope he will remain an active contributor to the AOP.” Lee concludes.

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Further information from:
Lee Baker, Director of AOP, 020 7400 7568 – lee.baker@ukaop.org.uk
Lorette Nettar, PR for AOP, 07968 521 684 – lorette.nettar@ukaop.org.uk

Note to Editors:

About AOP

The UK Association of Online Publishers (AOP) is the industry body representing online publishing companies that create original, branded, quality content. AOP champions the interests of companies from newspaper and magazine publishing, TV and radio broadcasting, and pure online media. The AOP raises awareness, lobbies and addresses concerns relating to all areas of online publishing to industry and Government; covering topics such as paid-for-content, online subscription models, data protection, copyright, content management, new technologies and audience measurement. AOP publishes original research including the annual Census now in its seventh year. It also hosts forums, conferences and events, where members can debate issues, meet peers and network.

The AOP hosts two annual flagship industry events, the AOP Digital Publishing Awards which was held in June 2009, and the AOP Digital Publishing Summit which is scheduled for 7 October 2009.

AOP Members include AN Digital, Bauer Consumer Media, BBC, BBC Worldwide, BSkyB, CBS Interactive, Channel 4 New Media, Condé Nast Digital, Economist Group, Financial Times, Future Publishing, Global Radio, Guardian Media Group, Haymarket Media Group, Incisive Media, Independent New Ventures, IPC Media, ITV, The National Magazine Company, News International Ltd, PPA, Reed Business Information, Telegraph Media Group Ltd, Thomson Reuters, Trader Media, Trinity Mirror, TSL Education, Which? www.ukaop.org.uk
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