NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Screenvision, the world leader in cinema advertising and a joint venture of Thomson (Euronext:18453) (NYSE:TMS) and ITV plc (FTSE:ITV), today proudly announced that Stu Ballatt has been named the company's new senior vice president of marketing. Ballatt will report directly to Screenvision's Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Kearney, and be based out of the company's New York City headquarters.
In his role, Ballatt will be responsible for overseeing all marketing operations, strategic branding initiatives, and market research functions for Screenvision and Screenvision Direct, the largest local and regional cinema advertising company in the U.S. and a division of Screenvision.
"Stu's extensive knowledge of the broadcast, entertainment, and advertising industries enables him to bring a unique and extremely valuable strategic insight to all of our marketing endeavors, and we expect he will be a tremendous asset in ensuring the continued growth of our business," said Kearney. "We're the market leader and Stu's joining us demonstrates our commitment to build on that to our customers' benefit."
Prior to joining Screenvision, Ballatt held various senior management positions with the National Broadcasting Company, Inc., most recently with NBC TV Network where he was vice president of marketing & sales development. In that position, his responsibilities included oversight of key sales and marketing initiatives, executing network positioning to the ad-buying community, creation of collateral and sales materials, provision of industry and category analysis, development of third-party partnerships and creation/execution of promotions and marketing enhancements associated with key advertisers.
Prior to NBC, Ballatt held various marketing management positions with Berlitz International, Inc., and Packard Press Corporation.
About the leap from NBC to Screenvision Ballatt said, "I can't imagine a better move as a marketer. Cinema advertising is the fastest-growing sector in the advertising industry and Screenvision is at the top of the field. This is a company that is investing in itself and seeing great success."
About Screenvision (www.Screenvision.com)
Screenvision provides cinema-marketing solutions to its advertising clients through on-screen sight, sound and motion (Cinema Spots), still image advertising (Cinema Slides) and in-theatre promotional opportunities (Cinema Extensions). Nationally, Screenvision is the largest cinema network, exclusively providing Cinema Spots to advertisers on more than half of the nation's available movie screens. On the regional level, the company's Screenvision Direct business unit offers Cinema Slide and promotional opportunities to small and mid-sized businesses in local markets around the country. In addition to its US-based operations, Screenvision has an extensive pan-European presence.
Screenvision is a joint venture between ITV plc (LSE:ITV), the UK's leading free to air commercial television broadcaster with divisions operating television and cinema advertising sales and one of Europe's largest commercial television production businesses as well as a major distribution business exploiting an extensive film and program library; and Thomson (Euronext:18453) (NYSE:TMS), the world leader in integrated solutions (technologies, equipment and services) for the entertainment and media industries.