Daily Mail hires former ITV executive to revive TV ads

Head of Broadcasting has overseen the launch of flagship shows like Loose Women Photo: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

The Daily Mail hired former head of ITV and Channel 4 as the newspaper group hopes to resume its TV promotion.

Helen Warner, a seasoned broadcast executive, began working with parent company Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) as a consultant, as The Telegraph has learned.

The appointment involves a renewed focus on television in the tabloid following similar moves by competitors such as Rupert Murdoch's News UK.

In 2017, a media group owned by Lord Rothermere launched Daily Mail TV, a US news show that aired for an hour every weekday. But the project, which was co-created with CBS, was scrapped last year after just five seasons.

The company recently doubled its video output with specialty programming such as Killer Hiding in Plain Sight, a 45-minute documentary a film about the trial of child murderer Lucy Letby.

He also creates programs on topics such as the war in Ukraine and the royal family, which are broadcast to 2.6 million subscribers on YouTube.

The Daily Mail Group is producing specialty programming such as a documentary on child murderer Lucy Letby

A source said the company is «deeply is exploring its broadcasting capabilities, but insists that it has no plans to establish a traditional TV channel. The Daily Mail declined to comment.

Over the past two weeks, the paper has also begun hiring an original video director, as well as several other video journalism positions.

Ms. Warner has extensive experience in the broadcast sector. In 2019, she served as a consultant to News UK CEO Rebecca Brooks prior to the launch of TalkTV.

She also briefly served as head of television at GB News, retiring after just four months in that position. against the backdrop of a massive exodus of news startup executives.

Prior to that, Ms. Warner held senior positions at ITV, where she oversaw the launch of flagship shows such as Good Morning Britain and Loose Women. She also worked for Channel 4, where she was responsible for high-profile programs such as Come Dine With Me, Countdown and No Deal.

Ms. Warner was also Chief Creative Officer of Sports series «Whisper». The company was founded by former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard and host Jake Humphrey. She is also the author of five Sunday Times best-selling novels.

This comes against the backdrop of greater digital advancement at DMGT. Earlier this year, editor Ted Verity said the group would begin merging the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

The move, which resulted in dozens of job losses, followed the merger between the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. its showbiz-focused sister publication MailOnline.

At the time, Mr. Verity said there was «no doubt» that the group's future growth depended on digital journalism.

The The Daily Mail refused to do so. comment.