The BBC has appointed its first creative director for learning as part of a revamp of its educational output, writes Leigh Holmwood.
The move is designed to refocus the learning division and enable greater concentration on fewer campaigns and events.BBC4 managing editor Nick Ware, who stood in for channel controller Roly Keating when he took an attachment to work on charter renewal last year, will take on the role, reporting to controller of learning and interactive Liz Cleaver.He will be responsible for commissioning, developing and delivering learning campaigns and events both on screen and off screen.The first season will look at the topical subject of obesity and launches in September, with a campaign on literacy to follow in 2005/06.Ware joined the BBC in 1984, spending 15 years in radio where he worked on a range of programming from Schools Radio to the Radio 1 Roadshow.In subsequent roles he worked as development producer for entertainment, devising and producing series for BBC Choice and more recently was responsible for commissioning arts programmes for BBC1, BBC2 and BBC4.The BBC announced last month it was cutting 12 posts in its learning division as part of a restructure that will see more money put into fewer projects.The corporation said its biggest challenge will be the £150m Digital Curriculum, due to be launch in 2006.