Channel 4’s future media division is effectively being dissolved by that name as part of new CEO David Abraham’s restructure, intended to unite commissioning and creative in a single, cross-platform division.
Instead, C4 is promoting online products head Richard Davidson-Houston to a new role of head of online, reporting directly to new C4 chief creative officer Julian Bellamy.
C4 says future media director Jon Gisby is still with the company, though C21, which recently rumoured his exit, says C4 will announce his departure next week.
“The future media division is effectively moving to a new content division,” a spokesperson tells us.
Says the announcement: “Channel 4 Online Products, Cross-Platform Commissioning, 4iP and Education will all report to Davidson-Houston under his new role.”
If his role encompasses multi-platform commissioning, why call Davidson-Houston “head of online“?
It’s a space this month’s Wired magazine calls “transmedia”: “We’re commissioning for attention, not platform,” C4’s education commissioning editor Matt Locke tells the magazine.
Davidson-Houston joined C4 in 2007 after five years with Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), including UK business manager for MSN/Windows Live.