Award-winning Channel 4 News editor Jim Gray is standing down from the role after 14 years.
Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow said there was ‘no better editor in the United Kingdom”, describing Gray as the ‘spirit and inspiration that is Channel 4 News”.
‘Jim has lived in my head for fifteen fabulous years – chucking the furniture of my certainties about, throwing many particularly treasured pieces out of the window altogether,’said Snow. ‘ Channel 4 News is what it is because of Jim.’
Gray was made editor in December 1997 after six months as the programme’s deputy editor.
Before that he spent 17 years at the BBC, first at Radio 4 and later at Newsnight where he progressed from political producer to deputy editor.
In his time at the Channel 4 News he has overseen exclusives including the Attorney-General’s secret advice on the legality of war on Iraq and the recent coverage into the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war that has seen calls for an international war crimes tribunal.
Announcing his departure, Channel 4 News said: ‘He has led Channel 4 News in its transformation from a 7pm weekday-only programme into a multiplatform news service, on screens 7 days a week, and at the heart of a thriving online community.
‘He has been responsible for hiring and promoting key people such as Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who joined to present alongside Jon Snow in 1998.
‘The announcement follows a year that has seen the most significant period of change in the programme’s history. In 2011, he led the process that introduced a new programme look, format and studio and a raft of big names to the flagship 7pm bulletin. It saw Political Correspondent Cathy Newman become a main Presenter, and Matt Frei and Michael Crick, amongst others, join the programme.
Gray will remain in his role as editor and also support C4 and ITN as it looks to find his successor over the next few months.
He said: ‘I’ve enjoyed nearly a decade and a half of what I truly believe is the best job in this business. The programme is in fantastic shape, produced every day by an incredible team and it’s time to let someone else take the reins and have the fun.
‘ This is a very special place to work with a special gravitational pull. Channel 4 News feels like ‘home’ for a certain type of person – people with journalistic passion who have something to say, and who are up for trouble-making.
‘ They’ve kept me exhilarated over the years, and that makes it very hard to say goodbye. Whilst I’m sad to do so I’m also excited about what else is out there.”
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