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Channel 4 shakes up commissioning

Commercially funded UK pubcaster Channel 4 is reorganising its commissioning team, with Ian Katz taking a new role and formats chief Sarah Lazenby leaving the broadcaster.

Ian Katz

The move will see all editorial decisions across linear channels, streaming platform All4 and social media consolidated under Katz, whose title will change from director of programmes to chief content officer.

This will include acquisitions, which moves from commercial affairs to report into Kiran Nataraja, who is being promoted to director of content strategy and planning and will focus on content planning and investment across streaming and linear services.

Emma Hardy is being promoted to director of commissioning operations and will focus on optimising Channel 4’s producer and talent strategies.

Channel 4 will also move its features commissioning to its new Glasgow Creative Hub, further bolstering its commitment to devolving commissioning decision-making to the UK nations and regions.

Glasgow-based Jo Street, currently head of daytime, will take on additional responsibility for the genre and become head of features and daytime. Head of features and formats Sarah Lazenby will leave C4 after six years.

Sarah Lazenby

Street will be one of a smaller number of heads of commissioning reporting directly to Katz. Karl Warner, head of linear channel E4, will become head of youth and digital with a brief to commission young-skewing content for E4 and all digital platforms.

The currently vacant role of head of specialist factual will not be filled, with head of factual Danny Horan continuing to take responsibility for all factual programming across documentaries and specialist factual.

In total, there will then be seven genre commissioning heads of department, two fewer than previously.

Nataraja, currently head of portfolio management, and Hardy, head of commissioning management, will take on broader roles, picking up some responsibilities from Kelly Webb Lamb who announced recently that she will be leaving later this year.

Nataraja will become director of content strategy and planning, which will combine her existing responsibilities for content investment, planning and scheduling across linear and streaming, with the new addition of acquisitions. Nick Lee, currently head of series acquisitions, will become head of acquisitions and international and will move from commercial affairs to report to Nataraja.

Hardy will become director of commissioning operations and will work closely with Katz to optimise Channel 4’s commissioning processes, production relationships and talent management strategy. She will be recruiting for a new role of head of indie.

Alex Mahon

Head of entertainment Phil Harris will now report to Katz alongside all the genre commissioning heads: head of fact ent Alf Lawrie; head of features and daytime Jo Street; head of news, current affairs and spot Louisa Compton; head of drama Caroline Hollick; head of comedy Fiona McDermott; and factual chief Horan.

Warner will also be responsible for 4Music and the Box channels and will recruit for a new head of digital commissioning role, reporting to him, with responsibility for social commissioning, plus a new commissioning role focused on young-skewing shows for E4 and All4.

Announcing the new structure, C4 CEO Alex Mahon said: “The changes we’re announcing today give Channel 4 a clearer and simplified structure and will enable us to accelerate our focus on digital, put viewers at the heart of our decision making and will also ensure we become even more agile and responsive in the way we operate with all our stakeholders and partners, particularly those in the production sector.”

Director of communications and corporate affairs James MacLeod is also leaving after nine years.

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