The fledgling Olympic Channel has hired two London-based TV sports veterans to management roles as it inches closer to a launch. STEPHEN HANNON will become Head of News and MATTHEW COLLIER Head of Commercial. Hannon spent the prior 15 years in various roles at Sports News Television (SNTV) in London, a joint venture of the AP and IMG Media. He will be in charge of the channel's news coverage and programming. Collier spent 10 years in various marketing roles at ESPN Int'l, most recently as Dir of Commercial for Europe, the Middle East & Africa. The IOC said that he will be "responsible for the strategic direction and commercial management of the Olympic Channel, including sponsorship, advertising and digital distribution." Hannon and Collier are the latest additions to the channel's second tier of management. Hannon will report to GM MARK PARKMAN, who in turn reports to Olympic Broadcasting Services CEO YIANNIS EXARCHOS. Collier will report to IOC TV & Marketing Managing Dir TIMO LUMME. The IOC has said the long-awaited Olympic Channel will launch this year, but the precise timing is unclear. Exarchos originally said that the net would begin programming in April or May, but the body has since backed off that specific timeframe. The net now has nearly 50 employees from 18 different countries, working primarily out of its Madrid offices. Content creation has begun and the technical facilities are being built. Exarchos will speak at the SportAccord convention on April 20 in Lausanne, where he may unveil new partnerships with sports federations or commercial entities.
