Advanced Television

Ian Katz

C4 appoints Sejdiu as Head of Commissioning Development

Channel 4 has appointed Art Sejdiu as Head of Commissioning Development. Sejdiu’s enhanced role will see him take on responsibility for overseeing the development of unscripted projects, working closely in collaboration with genre HoDs, commissioners and the indies pitching them. He will also be tasked with identifying new opportunities for development across the slate. ‌Sejdiu […]

November 5, 2024

Data: Channel 4 reaches record young streamers

BARB data for the year to date shows Channel 4 streaming passing a new record for young streamers, as well as Channel 4’s best ever streaming week as Married at First Sight UK and The Great British Bake Off led its peers on other platforms. Almost half (47 per cent) of all Channel 4 16-to-34 […]

October 31, 2024By Nik Roseveare

C4’s Katz: ‘No AI-generated drama’

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer at UK PSB Channel 4, has said the channel is not planning to follow the lead of fellow PSB ITV in seeking to recruit a Head of Generative AI to help create ‘shows, films and digital-first content’. Addressing a meeting of the Broadcasting Press Guild in London, Katz said that […]

October 29, 2024By Colin Mann

Channel 4 to boost impact across Nations and Regions

Channel 4 has unveiled what it calls its “biggest-ever intervention in the UK creative industries”, with a package of measures focused on three core areas – skills, content, and people – to serve and reflect the whole of the UK. This includes a £10 million (€11.9m) per annum, multi-year programme to support TV production roles, […]

October 16, 2024

Katz: “Profit-driven C4 could leave hole in Britain”

Channel 4 Chief Creative Officer Ian Katz, speaking at the Wales Screen Summit, declared out-of-London producers “the most important voices in the privatisation debate” as he reminded the industry that the Government White Paper makes no commitment to the nations and regions under a private owner. In an interview following his keynote speech, Katz said there remains a “long legislative […]

June 16, 2022

C4: “Record Nations and Regions spend”

Channel 4’s proportion of commissions and spend in the Nations and Regions hit an all-time record high last year. Two thirds of all original programming commissioned for the main channel was produced in the Nations and Regions – nearly double the broadcaster’s 35 per cent quota set by Ofcom. Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer, Ian […]

March 15, 2022

C4 appoints Sesay as Head of Creative Diversity

Channel 4 has appointed Naomi Sesay as Head of Creative Diversity, reporting into Emma Hardy, Director of Commissioning Operations,. Sesay was previously Interim Head of Creative Diversity for Channel 4 in 2019 “At Channel 4, we are committed to increasing diversity on and off screen, so it is great to welcome Naomi back to Channel […]

February 4, 2022

Channel 4 to hold Black Takeover day next year

As part of its ongoing commitment as an anti-racist organisation to improve Black representation on and off screen and drive long-term change, Channel 4’s Director of Programmes Ian Katz has announced two major new commissioning opportunities – a new Black-led comedy series and a new unscripted series set in the Black community – which will […]

August 26, 2020