Canwest Broadcasting has put together a new content team, with Christine Shipton and Karen Gelbart in charge of original programming, though questions remain over who, exactly, is doing what.

Shipton is now SVP of drama and factual content and, according to a Tuesday statement from Canwest, will develop and commission dramatic and factual programming for its specialty channels, plus priority programming for E! and Global.

Gelbart has been named SVP of lifestyle content, in charge of commissioning, acquiring, scheduling and budgeting for the lifestyle channels — a position that is similar to her previous post at AA.

But beyond that, decision-making at Canwest — which has absorbed AA and its 13 cable channels — remains something of a mystery. A spokesperson would not say which channels are considered ‘lifestyle’ or how the broadcaster is defining ‘factual.’ It is not known if, for example, a home reno show should be pitched as a factual property to Shipton or as lifestyle to Gelbart.

‘It could change,’ said the spokesperson, when asked how the channels would be divided up.

Canwest would also not say who is calling the shots at Showcase. Last week the company laid off its director of original productions, Rachel Fulford, though her boss Tara Ellis remained. It is not yet clear if Ellis is now the decision maker for Canadian content at the channel, which is known for backing innovative programming.

Both Shipton and Gelbart are at NATPE and were unavailable for comment.

Canwest has been making cuts as it mingles with AA, and last week implied it would reveal details of its layoffs, although it now says it won’t.

Other members of the content team are Phil Piazza, VP of content acquisitions; Daniel Eves, VP of strategic programming, specialty; Zev Shalev, VP of strategic planning, E!; Andrew Janik, VP of program operations; Greg Treffry, VP of partner development and content strategy; and Laura Tanner, SVP of digital media.

Steve Wyatt was last week named SVP of news and information, with responsibility for the news teams at Global’s local stations as well as the national news. Global National plans to relaunch on Feb. 11.

The creative team reports to EVP of content Barbara Williams.

‘What results from the combination of these two teams is that Canwest Broadcasting now has the top talent in every genre and on every platform — lifestyle, comedy, hard news, drama, documentary, magazine, and all the hybrids in between,’ said Williams in a statement.