SMG chief exec strikes right note

THE new chief executive of the owners of stv appears to have got off to a good start in his relationship with the trade unions who have members at the company, including the National Union of Journalists.

Following a meeting yesterday between SMG chief executive, Rob Woodward, and representations of both the NUJ and BECTU – at Woodward’s invitation – Paul Holleran, Scottish Organiser of the NUJ, declared himself encouraged by what he had heard.

Also attending the meeting, was SMG’s head of human resources, Suzanne Burns.

Said Holleran: “It was a really constructive. stv should be the standard-bearer for programme-making and innovation and I got a real sense that is what Mr Woodward is looking for also. There was a lot of optimism and ambition emanating from the meeting.”