MEDIA: HEADLINER - ITV's man behind the scenes decides to reveal his colours.(Nigel Pickard)

Nigel Pickard has big plans for the newly merged ITV's schedule, Jeremy Lee says.

While much of the media industry finds itself writhing about in twisted knickers following the approval of the Carlton and Granada merger, Nigel Pickard, ITV's director of programmes, is in more relaxed mood, reflecting on the benefits the merged company gives him.

'We're going to have a single focus. Different shareholders meant different views,' he says.

As well as consigning the famously dysfunctional management structure to the dustbin, the merger, we are led to believe, will also release money for the schedule. In a timely piece of PR, last week ITV announced that it was giving Pickard pounds 849 million to spend on next year's programming.

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