Abraham ready to shake up Channel 4

Abraham landed the top job at C4 last week and has told friends he hopes to be in situ by May after working at UKTV until Easter.

He is understood to have focused on his faith in C4’s PSB purposes in his interview, stressing his belief in promoting diverse voices and delivering innovative shows.

But Abraham’s research for his application, which included sounding out trusted indie producers, has raised concerns about the broadcaster being able to deliver these aims because of the lack of change among its creative team.

More than half of C4’s commissioners have been there since at least 2005 and Abraham is understood to feel that may be too long in some cases, and that some may also have developed “cosy relationships” with regular suppliers.

Sources stressed that Abraham will be very careful “not to throw the baby out with the bathwater” and that it is not his style to make wholesale changes. But he is also worried the broadcaster could be getting stale and is “prepared to do what is needed to move forward”.

He also wants to ensure C4 is as hard-working as possible: its headcount of about 700 compares with just 150 employees who work across UKTV’s 10 channels.

Abraham has some work to do to win over C4’s staff. He has privately admitted that there is some apprehension at the broadcaster about being led by someone unknown to many there, and disappointment that director of television and content Kevin Lygo missed out on the top job. The pair spoke briefly on Friday when Abraham landed the job and Lygo has been at work this week.

Management challenge

Sources suggested Abraham was relishing the challenge and the chance to test his management skills, honed dealing with the unconventional creatives at ad agency St Luke’s.

It is also understood his commercial expertise will put the focus firmly on exploiting programming through the likes of interactive new media propositions or games. He will also emphasise that C4’s finances will still be determined by its hit shows.

Abraham is known to be a fan of much of C4’s output, including its PSB-led formats such as Embarrassing Bodies and Gok Wan’s shows, and is said to be frustrated that much of the initial reaction to his appointment has characterised him as a “suit”, overlooking his commissioning and channel management experience at Discovery, TLC in the US and UKTV.

He commissioned Miami Ink, which has become one of Discovery’s biggest global franchises, and helped many UK indies win major US commissions.

At UKTV he commissioned Hogfather director Vadim Jean to make a documentary feature, In The Land Of The Free. Jean contacted Broadcast to say: “Abraham commissions with his instincts and really gives you creative freedom. Plus his notes are bang on.”

Abraham, who declined to comment for this piece, is understood to have had just one main interview for the job of C4 chief executive - a grilling over several hours by a five-strong board.

Headhunter Egon Zehnder compiled a long-list of candidates, before a series of informal meetings and a small number of formal interviews, in which Abraham emerged as the unanimous choice.