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Sky’s the limit: Priya Dogra to shake up Channel 4
LONDON: Channel 4 has found its fix. Priya Dogra, currently chief advertising, group data and new revenue officer at Sky, will become the broadcaster’s eighth chief executive in March 2026, tasked with dragging the 43-year-old public service broadcaster into the streaming age.
Dogra brings serious commercial firepower. At Sky, she runs the advertising sales operation, wrangles data and analytics, and hunts for revenue beyond subscriptions. She recently orchestrated Universal Ads, a rare moment of détente between Sky, ITV and Channel 4 that lets small businesses buy TV spots without needing a City trading floor.
Before Sky, she spent 14 years climbing the Warner Bros. Discovery ladder. As president and managing director for EMEA, she juggled programming, production, marketing and advertising across networks, streaming services, cinemas and licensing deals. She also greenlit original series for HBO and HBO Max. Earlier still, she led mergers and acquisitions at Time Warner, advising three chief executives on big-ticket deals. Her career began at Citi, where she covered media and telecoms clients.
Channel 4 chair Geoff Cooper gushed appropriately. Dogra is “an outstanding executive, a visionary leader” with “a formidable intellect,” he said. Translation: she knows how to make money whilst keeping the creative types happy—no mean feat at an organisation whose remit is to challenge, provoke and represent voices the mainstream ignores.
Dogra struck the right notes. Joining Channel 4 is “a genuine privilege,” she said, praising its mission to “spark change through entertainment.” She pledged to accelerate digital ambitions and deepen audience connections “across every platform”—the sort of promise every media chief executive makes, though her CV suggests she might actually deliver.
Jonathan Allan, the interim chief executive since Alex Mahon departed earlier this year, will hold the fort until March. Cooper thanked him for his “steady hand on the tiller” through “choppy market conditions”—boardroom-speak for a brutal advertising slump.
Dogra inherits a curious beast. Channel 4 gave Britain Brookside, Big Brother and Gogglebox. It also faces the same existential dread haunting every traditional broadcaster: how to compete with Netflix, YouTube and TikTok whilst fulfilling a public service remit and keeping advertisers sweet. If anyone can square that circle, it’s someone who persuaded Sky, ITV and Channel 4 to play nicely together. That alone deserves a commission.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
