Channel 4 Feels The Pinch

Channel 4 is cutting back its investment in programming for 2001 due to the advertising downturn that is affecting the industry.

The channel, which last year spent £423m on programmes, has reduced its ambitions for programming in 2001 due to the “difficult financial market.” While the investment in programming for 2001 will be higher than last year the increase will be less than the 6-8% of previous years.

A spokesman for Channel 4 today said: “It would be nice to invest more money in programming but we have to be prudent in the face of a challenging market. It’s a tough time for all broadcasters and Channel 4 is feeling the squeeze. Each year we’ve increased our investment but this year the increase won’t be as high.”

Channel 4 was keen to quell speculation that it was being affected by the same advertising downturn that is gripping ITV, adding: “Following the dotcom crash there’s a lot less money around than in previous years and while other broadcasters are having a difficult time Channel 4 is performing robustly.”

Former controller of Channel 4, Sir Jeremy Isaacs, today criticised the broadcaster for becoming obsessed with the youth market. He accused the channel of “single mindedly commissioning” a bulk of programmes suited to the “laddish or yobbish ” tastes, saying: “We broadsheet readers, we licence fee payers over 35, have a claim on public service broadcasters to cater for our needs. We want more Brass Eye and Testing God and less Eurotrash Goes Bananas.”

Channel 4: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com

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