TV4 ups Sjöberg for digital focus

Sweden’s TV4 Group has promoted Åsa Sjöberg to be its director of content and created two new roles as part of its plans to ramp up digital and scripted content.

Åsa Sjöberg

Sjöberg has been director of programmes for general interest content across the Bonnier-owned TV group’s networks, which include TV4, Sjuan, TV12 and VoD service TV4 Play, since 2007.

She will now oversee both current affairs and sports content as part of an enlarged role that includes responsibility for programming across all channels and platforms from October 1, when Johan Kleberg leaves the company to join Adlibris Group, also owned by Bonnier.

Part of Sjöberg’s remit will be to focus on TV4’s wider digital and content strategy, with the two new roles, which are as-yet unfilled, focusing on local drama and digital programming.

TV4 said the new digitally focused position would “cut across” different content departments and “drive the digital transformation across all programming genres.”

Sjöberg started her TV4 career in 1999 as a commissioning editor and exec producer in the programming department before taking over as head of commissioning in 2005.

She will report to Casten Almqvist, CEO of TV4 Group, who said Sjöberg would “drive the digital transformation, to secure the necessary rights for all platforms and to continue to build the digital content that will ensure TV4 remains relevant to all of the country’s viewers.”

Maria Mowbray will continue to oversee general interest commissioning for TV4, while Viveka Hansson heads up news and current affairs and Fredrik Olofson is responsible for sports. Acquisitions and formats will continue to be led by Cathrine Wiernik, appointed in June, with all four execs reporting to Sjöberg.

Her promotion comes two days after Mathias Berg arrived at TV4 Group as director of channels, after leaving Danish cable operator YouSee.

Berg’s remit includes overall responsibility for the packaging and distribution of TV4 Group’s linear and digital channels and platforms. He replaces Peter Lindström, who will leave TV4 Group at the end of August.