Blog: Channel 4

Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the entertainment world. Check out the latest insight from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage areas - music, entertainment and fandom, creator economy and social.

The BBC, Channel 4, and the risk of giving too much to YouTube

Ben Woods

26 Mar 2025

Business Strategy

YouTube

Netflix

Key insights from this blog: As YouTube has skyrocketed in popularity, it has become an unexpected challenge for the UK's public service broadcasters These broadcasters are also facing challenges from streaming services, which can afford bigger budget productions and big-name talent MIDiA explores h...

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Why Channel 4 is the canary in the digital ad mine

Tim Mulligan

30 Jan 2024

Channel 4

Netflix UK

Video

Yesterday, UK publicly owned (yet ad-funded) broadcaster Channel 4 announced that it was laying off 200 staff and closing 40 roles; reducing its headcount by 18%. In the press release for the announcement, Chief Executive Alex Mahon stated : “.

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European Professional Club Rugby goes OTT, pressing business over the needs of fans

Alistair Taylor

23 Sep 2020

EPCR

European Professional Club Rugby

OTT

Last Friday , European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), the Heineken Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup’s governing body announced the launch of its global over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, epcrugby.

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‘If You Ain’t First, You’re Last’: Revenue-Over-Reach Argument Not Refuted for F1

Alistair Taylor

9 Jan 2020

audience viewership

average age

BARB

2019 audience figures for Formula One (F1) provide the latest example of a rights holder opting for short-term revenue optimisation over long-term strategic growth, to the detriment of its viewing audience.

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Is YouTube MLB’s Answer to Tap into Younger Audience?

Alistair Taylor

29 Jul 2019

baseball

cable consumption

Channel 4

On July 18 th , Google-owned YouTube livestreamed the first of its exclusive Major League Baseball (MLB) matches, acquired through a partnership announced with the MLB at the end of April 2019 . YouTube’s first exclusive live game distribution deal with the MLB covers 13 games during the second ha...

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Is Pay-TV killing off Niche Sports?

Alistair Taylor

4 Jul 2019

Awareness

BBC

BBC One

With both the ICC Cricket World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup approaching their climaxes, the stark difference in audience engagement raises the question, is pay-TV killing off niche sports? Deciding the medium through which to distribute live sports has never been more crucial.

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Big Brother Axed By Channel 5, But It Is Not All Bad News For Endemol

Alistair Taylor

14 Sep 2018

Big brother

Channel 4

Channel 5

Dutch production house Endemol is no longer going to be making cult reality TV show Big Brother for Viacom’s UK terrestrial channel, Channel 5. It announced that it was “disappointed not to reach an agreement with Channel 5”, following Channel 5’s admission to the BBC that “the forthcoming...

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