Channel 4 redundancies mount as 45 laid off from commercial arm

Channel 4 has axed 45 jobs from its commercial arm 4 Ventures, bringing the total number of redundancies at the broadcaster to 265.

The move follows the appointment of 4 Ventures managing director Rod Woodward as the broadcaster's new commercial director.

The cuts, instituted by chief executive Mark Thompson, are part of a restructure of the division which sees the digital services arm, including E4, the Film Four channels and C4 Interactive, renamed as 4 Channels.

4 Channels will also be expanded to include the channel's interest in horseracing operation Attheraces, with a new managing director to be appointed imminently.

Under the new structure, managing director of digital services Gerry Bastable has been promoted to head of
corporate development for C4.

Bastable will manage all the channel's business with third parties, excluding airtime sales, as well as overseeing the development of new business.

C4's interactive department has also been split in two, with Channel4.com and C4'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, has been appointed managing director of 4 Services and deputy commercial director of C4, reporting to Woodward.

This article was first published on Media Week