Zai Bennett (born 1974) is a television executive. He is the Managing Director of Content for Sky UK and Ireland,[1] and former controller of BBC Three.[2]
Early life
editZai Bennett was educated at Goffs School, Hertfordshire[3] and studied History and Politics BA and Modern History MA at the University of London.[3]
Career
editZai Bennett started his career in 1995 in the post room at Carlton Television, then worked as presentation scheduler for the launch of Channel 5 in 1997. He worked for ITV from 1998 in a number of roles including Head of Programme Strategy, ITV Digital Channels and ITV2 Programming and Acquisitions Manager. He was Controller of ITV2 from 2006 to 2009. In April 2010 he was appointed ITV's Director of Digital Channels and Acquisitions, where he was responsible for overseeing editorial content on ITV's digital channels (ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and the CITV channel), including all commissioning and scheduling across the channels. In December 2010 the BBC announced he would become Controller of BBC Three in 2011. [4] [5] [6]
In April 2014, after it was announced that BBC Three would become an online-only service, Bennett revealed he would be joining Sky Atlantic as the channel's director.[7]
Zai was appointed to his current role of Managing Director of Content in 2019 and is responsible for Sky’s portfolio of entertainment, cinema and children's services. [8]
Under his leadership, working with Director of Sky Arts Phil Edgar-Jones, in 2020, Sky Arts became a free-to-air channel with the aim of making the arts more accessible to all.[8]
In 2020, Sky launched six new channels, further broadening the content for its customers, including an entirely new factual division.[8]
References
edit- ^ Sky's Zai Bennett talks content strategy: I’d rather bet big on fewer things and just go for it, Screen Daily, 20 March 2023
- ^ Zai Bennett announced as new BBC Three controller, BBC News, 16 December 2010
- ^ a b Plunkett, John (15 February 2015). "Zai Bennett: 'Fortitude is a brilliant statement of ambition'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Zai Bennett announced as Controller, BBC Three, BBC, Press Office, 16 December 2010
- ^ Zai Bennett appointed BBC3 controller, The Guardian, 16 December 2010
- ^ BBC appoints ITV2's Zai Bennett as controller of BBC Three, Daily Telegraph, 17 December 2010
- ^ "BBC Three controller leaves for Sky". BBC News. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ a b c Our Leadership | Zai Bennett, Sky Corporate Website
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