Execs & Accounts for November 17, 2004

Clear Channel Radio hired AOL Music’s former VP and general manager to head new online radio initiatives.

Evan Harrison led the enhancement of the AOL Radio Network’s music, news, sports and talk selections, and served as executive director of music industry relations for the group. Earlier, he held distribution and marketing roles with BMG Entertainment and helped develop its Click2Music.com site.

“At the heart of the new initiative is a broad variety of format-specific, custom and interactive programming aimed at local radio fans,” the company said. Two hundred of Clear Channel’s local stations stream broadcasts from their Web sites.

Range Online Media hired Ray White as chief operating officer. White joins from Match.com, where he oversaw new business and products. Earlier, he helped launch Clearwire Communications and Verizon SuperPages.com.

The Financial Times promoted Nigel Pocklington to director of online publishing, a newly-created position. Pocklington joined the company in 2003 as commercial director of FT.com following a stint as director of strategy at Pearson Plc. In addition to his leadership of FT.com, he will oversee The Financial Times‘ content syndication agreements and partnerships and sit on the board.

PointRoll snagged preferred partner status with GSD&M Advertising. The agency’s clients include SBC, MasterCard and the U.S. Air Force.

The Direct Marketing Association tapped True North to create and produce a “call for entries” campaign to promote its 2005 ECHO Awards. The assignment includes email, online ads, print executions, direct mail and a Web site. The campaign will run January through April.

.Com Marketing hired Paul Holcomb as creative director and Megan Mensinga as account service executive. Holcomb co-founded MindVisions and spent six years as chief creative officer of that agency. Mensinga was an advertising and promotions coordinator for NBC Universal in Orlando.