Guardian Media Group has confirmed to How-Do that David Johnson, the general manager of its Manchester-based TV station Channel M, is set to leave the operation at the end of this week.

How-Do understands that Johnson's departure came after a meeting with GMG bosses.

Alison Halstead, GMG Radio's head of communications, confirmed that Johnson was leaving the business "at the end of the week to pursue other opportunities."

When quizzed over the search for a new controller for the station - a hunt that began at the beginning of last month - Halstead commented that the firm has "a recruitment freeze on at the moment " but still hoped "to appoint in due course."

The station has undergone a (much-publicised) tumultuous time over the past year and a half, losing the majority of its staff and programming and being excluded from Trinity Mirror's deal to buy MEN Media, before emerging with new content and, as imparted by GMG North West MD Andy Carter, a long-term vision for the future.

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Comments (27)

18  By pescot 98 , on 23-07-2010 14:24 "On a serious note - just where does this leave Channel M?"    hopefully in the hands of someone that understands you cannot run a station on exploiting work ex & over using the business mantra "if you don't like it, you can always leave" or "can you see barbed wire on the door" Report

22  By pescot 98 , on 26-07-2010 13:40 "So are those the reasons behind the demise of CM?"    yep! add to that, no real investment in programming "the programmes are what we wrap the ads around",   also can you name any other mid size enterprise that does not have a marketing department\strategy  Sales! anyone with a ounce of ability was hoyed off to MEN media sales to try to plug that sinking ship.  lack of co-operation from (most) GMG MEN media ahem! colleagues,   why no listing in The Guide, OMM. Something to do with the 'we don't need to be told about new bands from a provincial outpost, thank you, we're London', kinda attitude.    I stand by it, lots of talented people with the ability to make good TV on a tight budget with a wider appeal than the M60, if they were allowed to & supported properly    finally if the vanity of certain people there was reigned in...... those bloody fashion shows, sod the MCFC show, we have Wigan Ath now.....   & BARNEY FOR GODS SAKE!  What a waste the whole bloody thing became Report