Channel 4 To Extend Digital Media Expansion
Channel 4 is intending to move further into the digital media realm with an investment of £50 million in new format expansion as part of the broadcaster’s vision for its future.
Chief executive, Andy Duncan, has unveiled the “Next on 4” blueprint for the broadcaster’s role in public service broadcasting, outlining how C4 intends to expand its role from broadcast into new digital media, including digital radio and online.
The Next on 4 “blueprint” is the culmination of an internal review that included consultation with staff, creative and commercial partners and the government, as well as extensive audience research including a YouGov survey of 11,000 Channel 4 viewers and users.
The move comes ahead of Channel 4’s attempt to secure its future with a funding formula from the government.
Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson, called on the government to agree increased levels of support for the broadcaster ahead of digital switchover.
Central to this is the creation of a £50 million fund, called the “Four Innovations for the Public” fund, which will provide for collaboration on digital content between Channel 4 and development agencies across the UK.
Duncan also unveiled ambitious programming plans, including a commitment to broadcast more new programmes in peak time than any other broadcaster and a commitment to increasing spend on news, allowing it to expand into online and radio.
In January, Channel 4 saw a relatively large year on year decline in its viewing share, dipping 2.6 percentage points (see Television Viewing Round-Up – January 2008).
The station’s share in all homes now stands at 8% for January, down from 10.6% in the same month in 2007.
Channel 4 also pushed its credentials as a youth-oriented broadcaster, unveiling plans to adopt a more proactive children’s programming strategy, with an initial £10 million funding committed to cross-platform projects for 10 to 15-year-olds.
“This strategic blueprint is a milestone for Channel 4. Channel 4 is an idea that has worked brilliantly in TV for the last 25 years.
“We’re very excited by the challenge of demonstrating it can potentially work even more powerfully in new digital media, adding a bold new dimension to our ability to deliver our public purposes.”
Channel 4’s video-on-demand service, 4oD, has served more than 100 million programme streams and downloads since its launch in December 2006, according to figures recently released by the broadcaster (see 100m Programme Downloads For 4oD).
Meanwhile, it was reported in February that Channel 4 has delayed the launch of the first services on the second national digital DAB multiplex until the autumn (see 4Radio Set For Autumn Launch).
In its original licence application Channel 4 said that most of the stations would be launched by the summer.
Yesterday, Ofcom announced that it has abandoned plans for a new Public Service Publisher, saying the suggestion had served its purpose in the debate on the future of public service broadcasting by emphasising the importance of digital media (see Ofcom Abandons Plans For PSP).
In what could be a positive move for Channel 4, Ofcom chief executive, Ed Richards, told the Royal Television Society that the growing consumption of online content “validated Ofcom’s original PSP argument”.
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