Channel 4 Cuts 45 Jobs From Commercial Arm
Channel 4 is cutting 45 jobs from its commercial arm, 4 Ventures, as part of a major restructure of the company’s senior management team.
The move is part of the most radical restructure in the channel’s 20-year history and follows the recent announcement that Channel 4’s chief executive, Mark Thompson, plans to cut up to 200 jobs at the main channel (see Channel 4 Announces Most Radical Restructure In 20 Years).
The restructure will see 4 Venture’s managing director, Rob Woodward, re-organise his management team to reflect the merger of some key functions across Channel 4 and 4 Ventures.
Woodward said: “We are determined to bring the existing 4 Ventures businesses to profitability as soon as possible and to set 4 Ventures on the path to becoming the commercial growth engine of Channel 4.”
The move will see a new 4 Services division added to the existing Rights, Digital Services and 4 Learning divisions, which remain after the closure of FilmFour Ltd earlier this year (see Channel 4 Calls Time On Film Production Arm).
The existing digital services division, which consists of E4, FilmFour channels, Channel 4 Interactive and 124 Facilities, is being renamed 4 Channels and will be expanded to include the channel’s interest in attheraces.
Gerry Bastable, currently managing director of Digital Services, has been promoted to become head of corporate development for the whole of Channel 4. Bastable will manage all the channel’s business relationships with third parties, excluding airtime sales. He will oversee the development of new businesses.
Woodward plans to recruit a replacement managing director for the renamed 4 Channels division. Dan Brooke, who is additionally general manager of E4, will remain deputy head of the division.
Channel 4’s interactive department is to be split in two, with Channel4.com and Channel 4’s interactive TV service, 4 Active, remaining part of the 4 Channels division. The interactive department’s commercial and service functions will move to become part of 4 Ventures’ new 4 Services division.
Anmar Kawash, currently chief operating officer of 4 Ventures, will become managing director of the new 4 Services division and deputy commercial director of Channel 4 under Woodward. A deputy managing director of 4 Services will be appointed.
4 Services will also comprise creative agency, 4 Creative, previously part of Channel 4’s Marketing department. Lisa Green will continue to head 4 Creative and will additionally become managing director of 124 Facilities, replacing Dave Mann, who has decided to step down after 18 years with the business.
Channel 4’s Consumer Products department and its co-production and distribution arm, Channel 4 International, will be merged into a single team within the 4 Rights division, which will continue to be headed by managing director, Paul Sowerbutts.
4 Learning, under managing director, Heather Rabbatts, will remain structurally unaffected by the move, although there are a “handful” of proposed job losses within the division.
Channel 4’s newly merged Business Affairs department, comprising all Channel 4 and 4 Ventures business affairs and programme finance teams, will be headed by Andrew Brann and will also report to Woodward.
Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com
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