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BBC chairman Michael Grade is to leave the public service broadcaster and move to its biggest terrestrial rival ITV.
The move will be a blow to the BBC, where Mr Grade was steering it through complex licence fee negotiations with the government.
He was also due to head the independent BBC Trust that was to replace the Board of Governors and oversee the BBC.
ITV has been looking for a new boss since Charles Allen left in August as the firm has seen advertising decline.
"The timing of Michael Grade's departure to ITV could hardly be worse for the BBC," said Robert Peston, the BBC's business editor.
"As one member of the BBC board of governors put it to me, it's a mess."
Steadying hand
Mr Grade will take over as executive chairman of ITV on 1 January 2007.
He will run the company, and has committed to hold the post for three years. John Creswell will work with him as chief operating officer.
Analysts said that Mr Grade was a charismatic figure who could restore confidence in ITV and help the company attract advertisers.
They added that Mr Grade was one of the few figures in the media industry with the experience and skills to take the helm at ITV.
"For the first time in ages, ITV executives can afford a smile," said the BBC's business editor. "They've got a new boss who has television in his blood".
Question marks have hung over ITV's future in the face of rising competition from digital TV firms, low viewing figures and falling advertising revenues.
Many analysts had predicted that ITV would become a takeover target, and satellite broadcaster BSkyB has bought a 17.9% stake in the firm for £940m.
ITV had previously rejected a £4.7bn-takeover offer from cable operator NTL.
Left behind
Analysts also called the defection of Mr Grade a coup for ITV.
Mr Grade was heavily involved in negotiating an increase in the BBC licence fee, and has been pushing hard to win a rise of 2.3% above the rate of inflation.
While he has found a sympathetic ear in Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, he was facing stiff opposition from Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.
One television executive said that Mr Grade may have decided to leave the BBC because of the changes to his job and his role as head of the BBC Trust, which would have seen him play a more regulatory and less hands-on role.
Observers said that it would be important to see how Mr Grade's role at ITV was defined - would he be there to guide ITV through the new digital age or would he be more involved in overseeing ITV1 and its programming schedule?
Jeff Randall, a former BBC business editor who broke the story in the Daily Telegraph, said that Mr Grade was "likely to have demanded a remuneration package of unprecedented riches" to make the move.
He added that: "There is carnage at the BBC: people are incandescent with rage."
Company reaction
The BBC issued a statement, wishing Mr Grade "well".
"Clearly this is a surprise, especially at this moment," the corporation said. "For the past two-and-a-half years, Michael Grade has been a great chairman."
It added that along with director general Mark Thompson, Mr Grade had achieved a successful charter settlement, while the future system of governance he helped secure would strengthen the BBC's accountability.
Source: BBC
The move will be a blow to the BBC, where Mr Grade was steering it through complex licence fee negotiations with the government.
He was also due to head the independent BBC Trust that was to replace the Board of Governors and oversee the BBC.
ITV has been looking for a new boss since Charles Allen left in August as the firm has seen advertising decline.
"The timing of Michael Grade's departure to ITV could hardly be worse for the BBC," said Robert Peston, the BBC's business editor.
"As one member of the BBC board of governors put it to me, it's a mess."
Steadying hand
Mr Grade will take over as executive chairman of ITV on 1 January 2007.
He will run the company, and has committed to hold the post for three years. John Creswell will work with him as chief operating officer.
Analysts said that Mr Grade was a charismatic figure who could restore confidence in ITV and help the company attract advertisers.
They added that Mr Grade was one of the few figures in the media industry with the experience and skills to take the helm at ITV.
"For the first time in ages, ITV executives can afford a smile," said the BBC's business editor. "They've got a new boss who has television in his blood".
Question marks have hung over ITV's future in the face of rising competition from digital TV firms, low viewing figures and falling advertising revenues.
Many analysts had predicted that ITV would become a takeover target, and satellite broadcaster BSkyB has bought a 17.9% stake in the firm for £940m.
ITV had previously rejected a £4.7bn-takeover offer from cable operator NTL.
Left behind
Analysts also called the defection of Mr Grade a coup for ITV.
Mr Grade was heavily involved in negotiating an increase in the BBC licence fee, and has been pushing hard to win a rise of 2.3% above the rate of inflation.
While he has found a sympathetic ear in Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, he was facing stiff opposition from Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.
One television executive said that Mr Grade may have decided to leave the BBC because of the changes to his job and his role as head of the BBC Trust, which would have seen him play a more regulatory and less hands-on role.
Observers said that it would be important to see how Mr Grade's role at ITV was defined - would he be there to guide ITV through the new digital age or would he be more involved in overseeing ITV1 and its programming schedule?
Jeff Randall, a former BBC business editor who broke the story in the Daily Telegraph, said that Mr Grade was "likely to have demanded a remuneration package of unprecedented riches" to make the move.
He added that: "There is carnage at the BBC: people are incandescent with rage."
Company reaction
The BBC issued a statement, wishing Mr Grade "well".
"Clearly this is a surprise, especially at this moment," the corporation said. "For the past two-and-a-half years, Michael Grade has been a great chairman."
It added that along with director general Mark Thompson, Mr Grade had achieved a successful charter settlement, while the future system of governance he helped secure would strengthen the BBC's accountability.
Source: BBC
