Channel 4 Unveils In-House Production Plans

Channel 4 has formally unveiled its strategy for scaling its IP ownership, moving into in-house production and launching the Creative Investment Fund.

Channel 4 plans to take majority stakes in indies and develop its in-house production capabilities now that the publisher-broadcaster restriction has been removed, allowing it to diversify its revenues.

Alongside the move, the British public-service broadcaster has increased its indie quota from 25 percent to 35 percent and delivered new commissioning guidelines, with a new policy to be released later this year. Ofcom will provide guidance on the new commissioning policy.

The move to in-house production will be phased, beginning with scalable formats that have international potential in the factual entertainment, reality and entertainment genres. It will be established as a separate company with clear separation from commissioning to ensure a fair and competitive process for producers. The company will be able to pitch to third-party platforms, with production planned to begin in 2026. Recruitment is underway for the leadership of the new company, reporting to COO Jonathan Allan.

The new Creative Investment Fund will be used to take stakes in content producers, evolving the Indie Growth Fund, established to invest in start-up and scale independents. The aim is to take investments in companies with a path to 100 percent ownership. Caroline Murphy will be stepping down as head of the Indie Growth Fund and will leave the channel later this year.

Alex Mahon, CEO, and Allan, COO and incoming interim CEO, said: “The plans we are announcing today are the centrepiece of our strategy to diversify revenues and secure Channel 4’s long-term sustainability. The creation of in-house production and our investment in indie stakes will allow us to generate new income streams that are not wholly reliant on the advertising market. Indies will always be the lifeblood of Channel 4, and this new direction is an essential element of our strategy to underpin the long-term sustainability of Channel 4 for the benefit of the independent sector and British storytelling—where all roads lead back to investing in U.K. independent production. The potential for us to take majority stakes in independent production companies is hugely exciting for the industry—the Indie Growth Fund has played a central role in the scaling of numerous indies since its launch and this strategy heralds a new era and greater ambition for the fund.”

The move to in-house production “will also enable our commitment to growing Channel 4’s impact across the U.K, providing investment capital, creating new production opportunities and opening further avenues for our 4Skills strategy,” Mahon and Allen said. “The developments—as part of our Fast Forward strategy—reaffirm Channel 4’s unique position in the U.K. production ecosystem and our unrivalled role as a champion of British creativity.”