09012024 - Flipbook - Page 13
13
TUESDAY JANUARY 9 2024
Former councillor
faces trial for alleged C
victims service fraud
Channel 4 warns of job
cuts amid shift to streaming
HANNEL
round
4
of
is
job
broadcaster
planning
cuts
a
as
the
sharpens
its
focus on streaming services
amid a downturn in TV advertising.
The
company
has
told
staff
to
prepare for jobs to be impacted as it
looks to tighten budgets this year.
Ex-council member, her husband and another woman are charged with
14 counts of fraud by abuse of position and six counts of false accounting
In a memo sent to staff yesterday
morning, chief executive Alex Mahon
said the business needs to get into
the “right shape and the right size
for
A
FORMER
member
world”
for
the
next
alleged the defendants furnished information or made use of a certain
“What we are doing now is accel-
Council
husband
record or document required for ac-
erating our existing plans to weather
verts
are facing charges of fraud
counting purposes knowing it was or
the sharp and protracted advertising
about two thirds of the broadcaster’s
and false accounting along with an-
might be misleading, false or decep-
slowdown that has hit the whole in-
total revenues, while digital advertis-
other woman.
tive namely receipts for a stay at the
dustry,” she wrote.
ing revenues make up 22%, according
her
Erne West seat for 18 years, rst as
Armagh City Hotel and three stays at
the Westport Hotel.
a Sinn Féin councillor and then as an
The offences are alleged to have
independent, and her husband Kevin
occurred on various dates between
Gabriel
November 27 2018 and September 5
Martin
(46),
of
Glenlevan
Road, Derrygonnelly, along with Roi-
2019.
sin Conlon (46), of Landbrock Road,
Newtownbutler,
are
with
of
of
14
counts
position
and
six
each
fraud
charged
by
counts
abuse
of
false
accounting.
They
their
are
accused
positions
Survivors
All
fore
three
accused
Dungannon
appeared
Magistrates
be-
Court
“We have been working carefully
by
of
acting
Service
by
for
traditional
TV,
makes
to its 2022 nancial report.
The company said it wants digital
uals... I am sorry that some job cuts
to make up 30% of its total revenues
will inevitably be involved.”
Channel
4,
which
by
receives
its
2025
as
it
aims
to
signicantly
grow its online audience.
funding from advertising, has recent-
Non-advertising revenues, which
ly warned MPs that the level of TV
includes partnerships and lm reve-
advertising
nues, have risen to make up 10% of
has
fallen
dramatically
yesterday, however a defence solici-
amid a shift in viewing habits toward
tor advised the case is not yet ready
digital and streaming services.
the total income.
More
than
500
staff
joined
broadcaster over 2022, taking the to-
abusing
District Judge Michael Ranaghan
grammes, including SAS: Who Dares
tal number of full-time employees to
against
said it was “entirely sensible” to ad-
Wins and Steph’s Packed Lunch, as
just less than 1,200.
journ the proceedings.
part of efforts to reduce costs.
Meanwhile,
Channel
Ms Mahon and other Channel 4
pledged to grow its spending in the
cheques were paid out for travel ex-
on February 12 but it’s unclear if the
top bosses declined a pay rise and
“nations and regions” as part of ef-
penses and for goods and services
committal
deferred their bonuses last year.
forts to “rebalance” its economic im-
including a residential. It is further
proceed on that date.
to
the
Crown
Court
will
Linear
advertising,
meaning
ad-
pact away from London.
OPEN DAY
SATURDAY 13 JANUARY 2024
9.30am to 12.30pm
Principal’s Address, 9.30am
Laureate for Peace Education
25 Donard View Road
Loughbrickland BT32 3LN
Telephone
(028) 406 25010
Twitter@NewbridgeIC
www.newbridgeintegrated.org
has
The case will be mentioned again
11 - 18 SCHOOL
Instagram:
@newbridgeintegrated
4
claiming
INTEGRATED COLLEGE
https://www.facebook.com/
newbridgeintegrated.org
the
It had to cancel a handful of pro-
NEW-BRIDGE
Founded 1995
up
to minimise the impacts on individ-
to proceed.
the nancial interests of the Victims
and
decade.
The broadcaster is to sharpen its focus
on streaming services amid a downturn
in TV advertising
PICTURE: PA
Fer-
Bernice Swift (54) who held the
Bernice Swift is a former member of
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
digital
managh and Omagh District
and
of
the
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