Channel 4 is reshaping its commissioning structure into fewer, broader genres as part of a restructure involving around 240 job cuts and a “ruthless focus on cut-through with fewer, stronger new titles”.
The broadcaster’s content and commissioning team will bear the brunt of some of the redundancies, with several departments set to merge.
Documentaries and fact ent will now sit under one team spanning ob docs such as To Catch a Copper (main picture) and 24 Hours in Police Custody, box-set factual like Miners Strike ’84: The Battle For Britain and brands such as Gogglebox.
Similarly, a combined entertainment and reality team will be responsible for shows such as The Last Leg, Late Night Lycett and Married at First Sight.
E4 will now have fewer original commissions, which will now go through appropriate genres rather than a direct youth team. Digital commissioners will now report directly to chief content officer Ian Katz.
Meanwhile, film folds into drama to encourage talent to work across platforms.
Writing to indies today, Katz promised them that having fewer genres to navigate will “make it clearer for you where to take your ideas”.
The first confirmed departures are chief marketing officer Zaid Al-Qassab and chief product officer Dave Cameron.
Director of content strategy and planning Kiran Nataraja will now have additional editorial responsibility for the Channel 4-branded streaming service (formerly 4oD).
The changes are part of a five-year ‘Fast Forward’ strategy designed to re-engineer C4 as a “genuinely digital-first public service streamer” by 2030.
By that time, C4 wants digital to account for half of its revenues. Currently, they represent 27% of its total revenues, and the broadcaster aims to hit 30% this year.
The restructured commissioning teams will be focused on content that drives streaming, such as scripted, reality and high-end factual, delivering on C4’s PSB remit, while targeting younger viewers on platforms such as YouTube and doubling views on digital content space 4Studio.
Small underperforming linear channels will be phased out, starting with music channel The Box, in favour of FAST online channels.
The strategy also states that C4 remains committed to “exploring the potential of intellectual property ownership” by establishing in-house production, as laid out in the government’s Media Bill.
