C5 appoints C4 man to manage planning

Channel 5 has appointed Channel 4’s head of programme planning Ashley Hill to replace David Bergg, who is leaving to take charge of ITV’s planning and strategy (MW September 25).

Bergg’s former role at C5 as controller of planning and acquisitions is being split in two, with Hill taking responsibility for planning and a new head of acquisitions still to be announced.

Both Hill and the new head of acquisitions will report to Dawn Airey, C5’s director of programmes. She says: “The fact that I am appointing someone to concentrate exclusively on acquisitions shows how important they are in our schedule and how aggressive we intend to be in acquiring the best.”

Hill has worked at C4 for over six years. Before that, he was head of programme scheduling for the five BSB satellite channels until the merger with Sky, and was head of programme planning at BBC2.

C5 this week launched a national radio campaign to promote live European football – featuring Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea. National press ads will run on the day of each match.