“It’s the Alex Mahon show,” was how one seasoned British TV executive characterized the industry’s biennial gathering in Cambridge, chaired by the Channel 4 CEO.
The Royal Television Society conference’s line-up was such a draw that even Elisabeth Murdoch was in attendance the day before news broke of her father’s surprise retirement. The traditional turns from UK network leaders were elevated by CAA’s Bryan Lourd jetting in from Hollywood, while James Corden gave his first interview since quitting The Late Late Show.
In an auspicious bit of timing, Katherine Ryan was the after-dinner speaker. She declined to address the Russell Brand-shaped elephant in the room, but did manage to roast an audience member called Ian for looking like a golf fanatic. Unbeknownst to Ryan, he turned out to be Channel 4 chairman Ian Cheshire.
But it was Mahon who presided over it all. The Channel 4 CEO regularly danced between the stage and the front row to introduce speakers she helped book. A polished performer, she had the good sense to tackle the “disgusting” sexual assault allegations against Brand within minutes of opening the conference. RTS CEO Theresa Wise praised her power to “convene” the industry.
There has long been talk that the RTS Cambridge Convention could be Mahon’s Channel 4 swansong. It meant the rumor mill was in overdrive during the two-day gathering, as people pondered whether Mahon will extend her tenure into a seventh year.
Having saved Channel 4 from privatization in January, senior industry figures gossiped about potential suitors. Earlier this year, Mahon was linked with a move to Google, though she is not thought to have formally interviewed for a role. More recently, ITV and Chloé, the French fashion house, have been mooted as potential destinations.
Mahon was unequivocal when Deadline asked Channel 4 for comment. “This is nonsense,” she said.
Her colleagues agree that she has not given any concrete indication of her desire to leave Channel 4. A person who has worked closely with her says she has unfinished business, not least unresolved questions over Channel 4 making its own shows. But there is also an acknowledgment that top-ranking executives are always steadfastly staying in their jobs until the moment they are not.
Mahon is a source of speculation because her future matters. Channel 4 occupies a unique place in the UK because of its (soon to change) remit to wholly commission shows from external producers, meaning the industry has a sense of ownership over the broadcaster.
Mahon’s future matters because Channel 4 is going through a sticky patch after it won the privatization debate and posted record revenues in 2021. An ad market slump — which does not appear to be meaningfully improving — forced the company into an effective commissioning freeze. It was criticized by producers for communicating these issues sluggishly and then announcing record pay for its top team.
Mahon’s future also matters because industry observers think her departure could trigger musical chairs at the top of British television. History shows that Channel 4 CEOs tend to move in lockstep with their content chiefs. Ian Katz is among a group of UK programming bosses who have been in their roles for the better part of a decade, meaning a changing of the guard feels increasingly inevitable.
Delivering her RTS Cambridge opening keynote, Mahon had a sobering message for her colleagues. She warned of a “generational timebomb” in TV viewing that will keep Channel 4 and others in a state of flux for years to come. “We are fighting for our business lives,” she said. Mahon is still in that fight for now.
