Channel 4 to Increase Nations & Regions Spend, Open New National HQ

Channel 4 is planning to increase its Nations & Regions content spend, from 35 percent to 50 percent of the main channel U.K. commissions by 2023, and will be establishing a new National HQ outside of London.

Channel 4 will boost jobs in the Nations & Regions and representation of all the U.K. with the launch of its “4 All the UK” plan—a strategy to ensure Channel 4 is serving the whole of the country. It is hailing the move as the biggest change to the structure of the organization in its 35-year history.

The increased content spend will result in a cumulative boost of more than £250 million ($345 million) in Channel 4’s Nations & Regions commissioning investment.

Channel 4 will move to a multi-site operating model, establishing a new National HQ and two new smaller creative hubs in 2019. A pitch process will be launched in April, whereby cities and regions across the U.K. can pitch to become the home of the new Channel 4 creative hubs. The National HQ will be home to a new studio, with the potential to be a base for daily programs, and a new digital production unit.

In total, it is expected that around 300 Channel 4 jobs will be based in the Nations & Regions. In addition, the increased programming spend will be supporting up to 3,000 additional production jobs in the Nations & Regions economy.

Alex Mahon, Channel 4’s chief executive, said: “As a public service broadcaster with diversity in its DNA, Channel 4 has a unique ability to reflect our society. This is a significant and exciting moment of change for Channel 4 as we evolve to ensure we are best suited to serve all of the U.K.

“With this new strategy we will go even further to make sure that people right across the U.K. are represented on screen and in the make-up of our own organization—and it will also build on what we already do to support creative businesses, jobs and economies in the Nations & Regions.”