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Musical chairs at Pearson

After the departure of chief executive Brian Harris and resignation of president Joe Abrams, Pearson TV International is to merge with Pearson TV Enterprises.

The combined outfit will be headed up by PTE president Catherine Mackay, and will cover all international sales, internet, wireless and broadband activities.

It will fall to Mackay to decide the future of Pearson-owned toon house Eva, which sells Rex the Runt and Hilltop Hospital overseas. The subsidiary's role has all but been absorbed into Pearson, and there are rumours of its closure.

Mackay will also take on the role of deputy ceo of Pearson Television's North American division, reporting to Tony Cohen, new ceo of Pearson North America.

David Lyle will move into the new position of president of entertainment at Pearson TV North America, overseeing development, acquisition and production of all entertainment programming including Price is Right, Family Feud, To Tell the Truth and Card Sharks.

The merger will allow the company {to maximise the value from our new and existing brands across as many platforms as possible on a global basis,{ said Mackay.

Pearson TV International's boss of five years Harris has now left the company, and Abrams is due to depart in the summer.

As well as Harris and Abrams, the exodus from Pearson's owners RTL Group has also seen Pearson Television's head of content and strategy Richard Eyre depart in March, as well as CLT-Ufa's Heinz Thym quit to form his own sales outfit last month.

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