SASKATOON – Saskatchewan educational broadcaster SCN announced today that former marketing and communications director Ranjan Thakre has been appointed to the new position of executive director of content, effective immediately.
"SCN spent several months consulting with various stakeholders, and recognized it was time to evolve our organizational structure in response to changes in the film and television industry," said Twyla MacDougall, president and CEO of SCN, in the press release.
"To ensure SCN adapts and evolves in this competitive industry, we have taken a positive step forward to merge two senior executive positions into one, and integrate our programming and communications units into a single department. Ranjan Thakre has served SCN as manager of production, and most recently as director of marketing and communications. His proven experience with SCN highly recommended him for this newly created position."
The new organizational structure is intended to help SCN adapt to the multi-media, multi-platform environment that is now prevalent in the national, and international, film and television industry.
SCN also announced the retirement of executive director of programming, Richard Gustin, effective April 17, 2009. Gustin will work closely with Thakre during a transition period to facilitate a smooth and successful merger of the two departments.
"We are very pleased that Richard Gustin, who’s been a leader at SCN for 20 years, has agreed to stay on to help us with the transition," said MacDougall. "We thank him for his many years of service to the organization, and greatly appreciate that by sharing his vast knowledge and expertise during the transition period, he will continue to help SCN move forward in a positive way. Everyone at SCN will miss Richard, and we wish him a happy and healthy retirement."
One of only five public educational broadcasters in Canada, SCN broadcasts to 90% of Saskatchewan households, and a national audience via satellite with high-quality, commercial-free educational programs.
