Afternoon:
9°c
Channel 4's chief executive Andy Duncan resigned today after failing to financially safeguard the future of the broadcaster.
The 47-year-old will leave by the end of the year following weeks of speculation that he was under pressure to resign.
Mr Duncan said in a statement today that he had “mutually agreed” to step down after talks with the board.
His exit comes after a tumultuous year, in which the broadcaster has been hit by an unprecedented downturn in advertising leading to an estimated shortfall of £150 million.
His lobbying for Channel 4 to receive a share of the licence fee was resisted by the BBC and talks with the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, over a joint venture appeared to have stalled.
The government Digital Britain report also failed to offer Channel 4 any assurances over a new stream of revenue.
His departure leaves the broadcaster facing a difficult transitional period as Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson also prepares to step down in January. Channel 4's finance director Anne Bulford is to take temporary charge.
Mr Duncan, who joined Channel 4 in 2004, said in a statement: “By any measure, it's been a great five years, during which time we've punched well above our weight, outperforming our immediate rivals both creatively and commercially.
“The British public are watching and using more of our TV programmes, films and online content and services than ever before.
“Having coped with dramatic structural change and an unprecedented downturn substantially better than most, I believe Channel 4 is in a great position to face the future with real confidence.”
Mr Johnson said that the board was “grateful for Andy's effective leadership”. He added: “When the time comes, he will depart with our best wishes for his future success.”
Mr Duncan's departure coincides with the cancellation of Big Brother — a programme which, despite earning millions for Channel 4, almost cost him his job.
In January 2007 he faced calls to resign after media watchdog Ofcom received a record 45,000 complaints over the racist bullying of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty on the celebrity version of the show.
Other shows on climate change, terrorism and Princess Diana also caused controversy.
Channel 4 today said Duncan had overseen a period of “sustained growth”, with its share of total TV viewing increasing from 10 per cent in 2003 to a high of 12 per cent.
The favourites to succeed Mr Duncan are Kevin Lygo, Channel 4's director of content, and Peter Fincham, ITV's director of television.
Reader views (1)
Andy Duncan made so many disastrous decisions for Channel 4. Also its primary remit was to project, emphasis and reflect the diversity in our population. The public purse was extended to it to do that. Far from employing and putting onscreen the diversity that is Britain, they went backwards. Apart from indigenous Britains on the station, one would have thought that there existed only a mono group of Asians as the sole ethnic minority in this country! There were few, if any, regularly onscreen from the Chinese, West Indian, African or other minority communities. Strange looking at Ch 4 then going out onto London's streets and seeing a whole mix of minorities who are non Asian! Even to the current Indian film series. No film series from other cultures; not even from Europe.
I teach in a very mixed area school and have always felt that the channel has wasted MY taxes in lacking the initiative and vision to offer chances to talented people from the wide variety of backgrounds who make up the UK .
- M Crawford, London, 16/09/2009 13:25
Report abuse
