Channel 4 has brought in two former BBC staffers as creative diversity leads for the nations and regions.
Bristol-based Stacey Olika, previously a production management assistant at the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, becomes creative diversity controller, nations and regions.
Meanwhile, Leeds-based Neila Butt (left, in main picture), who has taken editorial roles at the BBC across radio and TV and led inclusion and diversity projects, has joined as creative diversity lead for the nations and regions.
Both exes will work with indies and C4 regional hub leads and commissioning teams to improve the broadcaster’s representation of diverse talent, both on- and off-screen.
The pair join Ally Castle, who was announced in January as the channel’s disability lead.
The hires come as C4 head of creative diversity Babita Bahal outlined plans for ‘progression placements’ to offer training and career support to promising individuals employed on C4 shows.
Stating that her team sits “at the heart of commissioning”, Bahal said she would work with C4 genre heads to fund improvements to on- and off-screen diversity.
Economic impact
Separately, a study commissioned by Channel 4 from EY found that the broadcaster contributed nearly £1bn to the UK economy and supported more than 10,000 jobs across the UK in 2019.
According to the report, published today, C4 generates £274m of GVA (Gross Value Added), and supported 10,600 jobs, including 3,000 outside London.
Overall, EY’s economic impact assessment finds that C4 generates £992m of GVA for the UK economy and supports just over 10,600 jobs.
