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ITV announced today that before the end of 2009 Michael Grade will step down as Chief Executive, becoming instead non-executive chairman of the group. Whilst not directly on-topic for Digital Content, the move does open the door for a significant indication of ITV's future intentions. Grade perhaps looks a little 'old media' for a company that has its eye firmly set on the expanding video markets in the digital and online spaces. If the next Chief Exec is a new media face (and there's talk of a few Google senior execs being in the picture) it will confirm the important of this sector to the company.

On the other hand, a more traditional media face might represent the notion that ITV will retrench as a solid, traditional media broadcaster and creator, seeking to establish itself firmly as a go-to brand for great content. Albeit one that will push strongly for product placement to feature in its commercial mix. In a sense, it's a little stuck-in-the-middle right now, so some clarity would be a good thing.

Some suggest that he was pushed out simply because his predictions - and his planning - hasn't worked out great for the company. I rather doubt this - and I don't think the City would be happy if this had happened with no names in the hat to replace him. I expect will hear sooner rather than later, if only through 'leaks', so that it isn't up in the air.

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Michael Grade (in his capacity as executive chairman of ITV) has called for better signposting for online TV. According to Broadcast viewers don't understand what they're getting themselves in for online, as they do with the clear watershed on linear TV.

I'm pleased to see him talking about content identification - and a viewer's trust in the broadcasters to make these calls - as part of the content provider's value. We too often set up false competitions between broadcasters trying to be cutting edge, and the boring editorial policy department telling them they can't be. Far from it, the reason to have editorial policy is so that we can identify boundaries, and when we need to alert viewers to difficult content, precisely so that brave decisions can be made, and content that is too shocking for children can be produced in the knowledge that adults will be able to choose to watch it.

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ITV's much reported jobs cuts could be great news for their digital content provision. Perhaps this flies in the face of common sense but the reason it's likely to be true is that ITV's online cutbacks represent a retrenchment, and a return to what the broadcaster traditionally does best: content. The Guardian's headline that 'ITV Consumer [is] set to cut 80 jobs' could easily be re-parsed as 'ITV to focus online efforts on producing content-led propositions'.

The broadcaster is moving away from commercially-driven websites that have often strayed very far from ITV's established expertise - does anyone really flick open their web browser with the thought 'Let's compare some prices using ITV's website'? When's the last time you thought 'ITV' when you wanted to place a bet or find a service from an online directory? If the answer to those questions are 'no' and 'never' respectively, it begs the question what ITV is doing running Price Terrier (shopping comparison site), ITV Play (for gambling) or Scoot (a services directory).

(cc) by spaceodissey/flickrThe Past: What was Kangaroo? Project Kangaroo was (a codename for) a proposed service offered by a joint venture company formed by BBC Worldwide (the BBC's commercial arm), ITV and Channel 4, in order to deliver a next-generation online VOD platform. Similar in function to the BBC iPlayer, and likely to rely on the same technology as its foundation, it would have allowed these players, and others that joined up on a more ad hoc basis, to commercialise their catalogue programming. It would be financed by subscription, pay per view, advertising, or a combination of these, direct from the consumer. In the case of the BBC, this would happen only after the end of the seven-day 'catch-up' window during which programmes are free to view on iPlayer. It is thought that Channel 4 had intended to close its own service, 4oD (4 on Demand), though it seems likely that ITV would continue to use ITV.com as a destination site, including its own videos.

(cc) by-sa shaz wildcat/flickrWith the Guardian reporting that ITV has suggested, as one of the radical solution for the future of Britain commercial broadcasting, a merger with Channel 4 and Five, it's a good time to ask what that would mean for digital content in the UK.