(reg. req.): In UK, commercial public broadcaster Channel 4 has appointed Rod Henwood, the CEO of the sports internet firm Premium TV (and formerly at NTL and ITV) to the new role of new business director, taking charge of 4 Ventures and all commercial activities apart from the broadcaster’s TV channels. He will lead the channel’s acquisition drive as the broadcaster attempts to guard against an expected decline in viewing share by expanding further into new media, mobile, music and radio.

Henwood will be given a large chunk of a 188 million pounds war chest to spend on acquisitions and new business partnerships.

Channel 4 recently launched a mobile portal and a 2 million pound music download site. Later this year it will also begin a broadband-only documentary channel named Four Docs.