Louise Benson appointed MGEITF director.

Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival has appointed Louise Benson as its new Director, Elaine Bedell, the TV Festival’s Executive Chair has announced today.

Louise joins the Festival from Emap Networks where she was Media Events Director, with responsibility for all of Emap’s media conferences. She was also Event Director of the World Architecture Festival.

Louise has been at Emap for over seven years and launched a number of new events there, including genre specific TV conferences (for example TV Comedy Forum) and the Digital Channels Conference.

In 2008 she launched The Media Festival in Manchester, with Peter Bazalgette as founding Chair and in September of this year, The Media Festival Arts, for arts and film organisations looking for opportunities in the digital space.

Director of Entertainment and Comedy at ITV, and MGEITF Executive Chair Elaine Bedell commented: “I’m delighted that Louise is joining the Edinburgh Television Festival.  She’s well-known already to many in the media industry and understands the key issues facing the TV sector.  She’s absolutely the right person to help us take the festival forward over the next few years, and is full of enthusiasm and energy to make it more international, more relevant and inspiring.”

Louise Benson added: “I’m looking forward to working with George Entwistle, the 2011 Advisory Chair and his Advisory Committee to deliver a must-attend event. The TV Festival is a very special event, and one that I’ve always wanted to be involved in.”

Louise will take up the post of Festival Director on 31 January 2011.

Notes to Editors:

•         Now in its 36^th year, the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival is the essential annual event for anyone involved in the media industry

•         A diverse programme of over 50 sessions including debates about important industry issues, future trends, glossy entertainment sessions and some of the most innovative leaders in the media delivering keynote speeches

•         The Festival is attended by over 1,500 delegates, representing the full spectrum of the industry – from chief executives, controllers and commissioners to producers, directors, marketers, writers, new media companies, distributors and press

•         A key part of the Festival’s charitable remit is encouraging and developing new talent from a diverse range of backgrounds, and it delivers on this aim through two talent schemes, The Network and Fast Track.  These schemes help over 100 young people each year to get in and get on in the media industry.

•         MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival 2011 takes place 26-28  August.  George Entwistle, Controller of BBC Knowledge Commissioning is the Advisory Chair.

•          For further details log on to www.mgeitf.co.uk

For press information, please contact Taylor Herring on 0208 206 5151