Community Channel picks team for revenue drive

Community Channel, the digital TV station majority-funded by the Cabinet Office, has hired a new commercial team as part of a drive for more revenue.

Community Channel, the digital TV station majority-funded by the government’s Cabinet Office, has hired a new commercial team as part of a drive for more revenue.

Community Channel management says it needs to source new revenue streams and has hired Kara Neilson, former GMTV business development manager, as its head of sponsorship.

It has also appointed Xmedia Creative (XmC), the specialist agency founded by former EMAP Advertising cross media director Jane Kesley (pictured), to consult on business development.

The channel is owned by the Media Trust, whose corporate partners include the BBC, BSkyB, Channel 4, the WPP group and ITV. Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan replaced Michael Green as chairman of the trust and Community Channel in May.

The commercial team will be focused on driving commercial revenues from TV airtime and sponsorship.

It has secured Lambeth Fostering and Adoption as sponsor for the channel’s Black History Month of programming in October. Its first sponsor, ecological cleaning product manufacturer Ecover, sponsored coverage of The Observer Ethical Awards in June.