C4 bolsters its diversity team with two new executive appointments

6 July 2015

Channel 4 has today announced the appointment of two executives who will join the team implementing the broadcaster’s 360° Diversity Charter.

The appointments, made by Channel 4’s Creative Diversity Manager Ade Rawcliffe, will strengthen Ade’s team and focus on improving on-screen and off-screen diversity, an integral part of the 360° Diversity Charter.

The charter, launched in January this year, is a detailed 30 point plan to improve diversity throughout the organisation and at every level of all its external partners and independent producers.

Some key highlights of the charter are: ensuring 10 per cent of the approx 300 production team for the Rio Paralympics are people with disabilities; implementations of commissioning diversity guidelines to ensure that every new Channel 4 commissioned programme in every genre helps increase diversity on and off screen; to grow diverse indies and talent by providing development funding via Channel 4’s Alpha Fund; publishing targets to improve the diversity of Channel 4’s staff by 2020.

Nina Bhagwat will be Channel 4’s new Off-screen Diversity Executive and Ramy El-Bergamy is the new On-screen Diversity Executive.

Ade said : “At Channel 4 diversity isn't just a crucial part of our remit, it is a creative opportunity that enhances our programmes. You only have to look at some of our most successful primetime shows like Gogglebox, The Undateables and Grayson Perry's Who Are You? to see how diversity can make programmes richer and more interesting. "

“Channel 4’s 360° Diversity Charter is changing the way we think about diversity and ensure it’s at the heart of everything we do, both on-screen and off-screen. Nina and Ramy both bring with them a wealth of experience and they will be essential in helping us achieve our ambition and I’m delighted to welcome them both to Channel 4.”

As well as raising awareness of issues around diversity, both will work closely with Channel 4’s commissioning teams and help embed commissioning diversity guidelines. They will also work closely with indies to ensure all programmes help increase the diversity of talent both on and off-screen.

Ramy, who has extensive broadcast experience which includes Big Brother, and The Voice, said: “I’m delighted to be joining Channel 4 and bringing with me ten years of production experience to such an important role. Diversity on-screen is of such importance and I really can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Nina, who previously headed up Short Courses at the National Film and Television School, has a track record as a programme maker, and as a training specialist with responsibility for devising and delivering diversity initiatives. She said: “Over the years Channel 4 has led the way when it comes to pushing diversity right into the heart of the mainstream. The 360° Diversity Charter is a bold and ambitious statement of intent. I'm really looking forward to joining the Channel 4 diversity team, rolling up my sleeves and working to deliver meaningful and lasting change.”

Nina and Ramy are due to take up their post later this summer and both will report into Channel 4’s Creative Diversity Manager Ade Rawcliffe.

 

Note to Editors

Link to Channel 4’s 360° Diversity Charter - http://www.channel4.com/media/documents/corporate/diversitycharter/Channel4360DiversityCharterFINAL.pdf