Virgin Radio boss resigns

SMG-owned Virgin Radio's chief executive Fru Hazlitt has resigned from the company with immediate effect.

Hazlitt joined the Scottish Media Group in August 2005 as chief executive of radio, from Yahoo! UK and Ireland, where she was managing director.

In a statement from SMG, Hazlitt said she had decided to leave because she had other things to achieve and it was "time to move on".

Her departure comes as SMG continues talks with UTV over a possible merger, with UTV believed to want its chief executive Scott Taunton, to head up a combined radio operation if the deal is completed.

Acting chief executive of SMG Donald Emslie said of Hazlitt: "She’s been an inspirational leader for Virgin Radio and her knowledge of the radio and online world has taken the station to the next level."

The station's programme director since 2001, Paul Jackson, who held the position in an acting capacity for much of 2005, is to replace her.

Jackson said: "I'm going to work very hard to make sure that Virgin Radio continues to be first with the big ideas."