Category : Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Date : 14.05.2004
Printable version
Jana Bennett,
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Director of Television, today announced the appointment of Roly
Keating as the new Controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO.
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Roly Keating, currently the Controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR,
will take up his new role in June when he becomes Jana Bennett's first
channel controller appointment.
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Jana Bennett said: "Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO is a unique force in
British broadcasting and in British life.
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"It's a channel where different and specialist
passions can come together, where growing new comedy can sit comfortably
with landmark factual series and innovative drama.
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"But it is also a channel which has to operate
in a very busy market and I can't think of anyone who could more brilliantly
articulate why Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO has a special place at the heart of our national
life than Roly Keating.
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"He has an obsessive commitment
to talent, on and off screen, and combines showmanship with energy and
curiosity.
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"He was one of the pioneers of multi-channel television
and has demonstrated his fully rounded understanding of what makes a
channel work in growing Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR from scratch to the very good channel
it is today.
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"He can spot things which tell us about the world
now, and so fits perfectly with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO's ambition to both reflect and
predict the way we live."
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Roly Keating said: "Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO is the channel of record
for British culture and being asked to take leadership of it is a huge
honour, and frankly a bit daunting.
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"But I'm also incredibly excited: it's a channel
I've grown up with, and like millions of other people it's given me
some of my most memorable viewing experiences.
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"Jane Root is leaving it in strong creative health,
and I'm looking forward to the challenge of building on her formidable
legacy."
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Roly Keating was appointed Controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR in
December 2001 and led the launch of the channel in March 2002.
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It is now the most watched channel of its kind, leading
competitor channels such as Discovery and The History Channel.
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Under his controllership, the channel has won numerous
awards in its two years of existence, including a BAFTA for The National
Trust.
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The channel has earned a reputation for strong documentary
and cultural programming, together with an international flavour achieved
through news coverage and global films.
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With programmes ranging from The Falklands Play to The
Alan Clark Diaries and The Blues; from Richard II Live At the Globe
Theatre and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ starring Anthony Sher; from Storyville to the innovative
Painting the Weather, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR has been both a critical success and
won millions of devoted aficionados.
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Roly Keating joined the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ as a General Trainee in
1983.
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As producer and director in Music and Arts he made films
for Omnibus, Bookmark and Arena, including documentaries about Ealing
Studios, VS Pritchett and Philip Roth.
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He was a founder producer and subsequently Editor of
the influential arts and media magazine The Late Show.
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From 1992 to 1997 he was Editor of Bookmark, winning
the Huw Wheldon Award for Best Arts Programme in 1993.
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That year he devised and launched the long-running heritage
series One Foot in the Past.
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Other credits as Executive Producer include A History
of British Art, The House Detectives and How Buildings Learn.
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In 1997 Roly became Head of Programming for UKTV, overseeing
the launch of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's joint venture channels with Flextech, including
UK Style, UK Horizons and the re-launched UK Gold.
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In 1999 he was made Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Controller of Digital Channels,
with overall editorial responsibility for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Choice, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Knowledge
and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Prime, as well as the UKTV portfolio.
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The following year he took on the additional role of
Head of Arts Commissioning, with responsibility for music and arts programming
across Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Television.
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In 2003 Roly was seconded for six months from his post
as Controller, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR, to act as joint leader of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Charter
Review project.
