Sky News unifies production teams

Sky News is to unify its various production teams into a single multimedia production unit.

The changes, which will take place on September 29, will see producers for Sky News TV, the channel's website, Sky News Active and Sky News Radio form part of one multimedia output team led by executive editor Chris Birkett. A new unit, New Technology, will push the use of new technologies across all Sky News platforms, and will be led by associate editor Steve Bennedik.

"The message is simple, Sky News’ audience is changing and we must change too," said Sky News chief John Ryley. "We need to accelerate the pace of change into digital media. Over the past 12 months, the number of people using Skynews.com has grown by over 35% - a dramatic rise. Sky News radio bulletins reach 18 million listeners a week, and 4 million people visit the news pages on Sky Text each week – in addition to the billion or more people that walk past the 700 giant screens showing Sky News installed at 35 shopping centres across the country, as well as on train platforms and on Virgin Atlantic aircraft.

"We want to make sure that all our journalistic, production and technological expertise from across Sky News is focused on these platforms at all times, offering excellent, ground-breaking coverage."