Channel 4

Breaking the mould

Channel 4, television, diversity, RTS, BAME, Ade Rawcliffe, Chewing Gum, Creative Diversity Manager,

Back in the late 1990s, Ade Rawcliffe was working on Ainsley Harriott’s show, Party of a Lifetime. They were in Teesside, filming with children from a housing estate. They all had a question: was Rawcliffe Harriott’s wife or was she his “girlfriend”?

Ade (pronounced Addy) thinks that they were not used to seeing two black people in the same place at once. They might, it occurs to me, have been equally puzzled by the spectacle of two black people working on the same television programme.

The pay-TV guru returns

Gary Davey, Sky, television,

Gary Davey is one of pay-TV’s most experienced executives. He was part of the team that launched Sky TV in the late 1980s. Now, after holding senior positions in Sky Italia, Sky Deutschland and Star TV (when he was based in Hong Kong), he is back in the UK. He was appointed Sky’s Managing Director for Content in January 2015.

Channel 4 announces inspiring new documentary

Kids, Casting, Actors, Models, Musicians. Channel 4

Inside Birmingham Children’s Hospital

Inside Birmingham Children’s Hospital tells the stories of families facing their greatest fears together.

From life-threatening illnesses and psychological trauma to bumps, bruises and grazed knees, the show follows families from the operating theatre to the kitchen table to tell the stories of normal people dealing with extraordinary problems.

Diverse TV: Television must be more reflective of society

Ade Adepitan at Channel 4 Diverse Festival

Speaking at Channel 4’s Diverse Festival, Adepitan claimed that a failure to provide audiences with diverse television talent would be a hindrance to the industry.

“My friends and I are watching less and less terrestrial TV because there are other places that are more representative,” added Adepitan, who said digital brands SBTV and Vice were doing a better job.

Channel 4 launches Year of Disability

China, Beijing, Paralympics, 2008

The focus on disability coincides with the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and aims to build upon the ongoing initiatives outlined in last year's 360° Diversity Charter which aimed to improve access for all under-represented groups such as BAME, LGBT and women.

In 2017, Channel 4 will focus on a different diversity theme.

Fresh Meat writer pens new show for Channel 4

Asia, travelling, drama, Channel 4, Vietnam

Introducing the commissions, Channel 4’s Head of Drama Piers Wenger promised “a consistent presence of topical, entertaining drama across the schedule.”

Wenger also gave a nod to the production partners on the shows. In a recent interview with Broadcast magazine, he forecasted that next year at least 80% of Channel 4’s peak-time drama output would be co-produced.

Lord Burns: Privatising Channel 4 would be very damaging

David Abraham and Lord Burns

Burns, who stands down from Channel 4 later this month, told an audience of senior broadcasters, MPs and producers that its not-for-profit structure continues to be successful. 

Since his appointment in 2009, when the UK economy was on its knees, Channel 4 had delivered consistent yearly growth in advertising revenue, he pointed out.  

Burns reiterated his opposition to privatising Channel 4, an option back on the Government’s agenda.

However, he said it was worth considering if the broadcaster should make a fixed financial return to the state.

David Coulthard to present Channel 4's Formula 1 coverage

David Coulthard, Formula 1, Whisper Films, Top Gear

The broadcaster has awarded the contract to experienced independent sports production company, Whisper Films, which was founded in 2010 by Coulthard, BT Sport and former BBC F1 presenter Jake Humphrey and former BBC F1 producer Sunil Patekl.

This announcement follows the news last month that Channel 4 would become the terrestrial TV home of Formula 1 from 2016-2018.