Channel 4 Chief To Be Announced

Channel 4 is set to make an official statement later today confirming the BBC’s director of programmes, Mark Thompson, as the new chief executive of the channel.

Thompson will take over from Michael Jackson, who left the channel last month to take up a job in the States (see Jackson Leaves With Brass Eye Repeat). No official statement has yet been made but Channel 4 is expected to officially confirm Thompson’s appointment at a press conference this afternoon.

Thompson and Michael Lynton, president of AOL International, were believed to be the only candidates running for the job by the time the final decisions were being made at the start of this week (see AOL Chief Tipped For Channel 4 Chair), but it is thought that Lynton pulled out at the last minute. Channel 5 chief executive, Dawn Airey and creative director of Endemol, Peter Bazalgette, also ruled themselves out of the position earlier in the month, delaying the selection process (see Peter Bazalgette Pulls Out Of Channel 4 Race).

Channel 4: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com

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