Compton named Head of News and Sport at C4
March 31, 2020
Channel 4’s Director of Programmes Ian Katz has appointed Louisa Compton as Head of News and Current Affairs, replacing Dorothy Byrne who announced she was stepping down from the role earlier this month. In her new role Compton will be responsible for overseeing Channel 4’s multi award-winning News and Current Affairs programming as well as overseeing sport – with Head of Sport Pete Andrews reporting into Louisa.
Compton joined Channel 4 in 2018 as commissioning editor for News and Current Affairs. Before joining Channel 4, she was responsible for launching the BAFTA and RTS award-winning Victoria Derbyshire BBC TV programme.
Ian Katz, Director of Programmes, said: “Dorothy Byrne is a very hard act to follow but if anyone is equipped to it’s Louisa. She has a remarkable combination of news experience, eye for a story and creative flair that won her multiple awards as a programme editor and has helped her make Dispatches the hardest hitting current affairs programme in Britain. She will be a brilliant custodian of Channel 4’s proud tradition of in-depth reporting and investigation and will also oversee our award-winning sports coverage.”
Compton added: “I’m thrilled to be taking on this role at a time when News and Current Affairs has never been more important or relevant to people’s lives. Channel 4 has an unrivalled record of award-winning, agenda-setting journalism and I look forward to continuing that legacy and working with such talented journalists and film-makers who contribute to our output. Pete Andrews and the rest of the sport team do an amazing job and I’m delighted to continue to work with them on the channel’s sports coverage.”
Louisa will take up the new role on 1st May. As previously announced, Dorothy Byrne will remain at Channel 4 in a specially created role of Editor at Large for a year. In this new role she will work with the wider organisation in a leadership capacity to drive forward a number of projects including: developing a factual podcast strategy; helping to shape and implement a new sustainability strategy; and mentoring and developing staff across the organisation.