Channel 4 and Motion Content Group launch Fund for ethnically diverse-led indies

18 March 2022

Channel 4 and Motion Content Group have launched a multi-million pound fund to boost commissions from small and medium sized ethnically diverse-led production companies.

The Channel 4 and Motion Content Group Diverse Indies Fund will be editorially overseen by Channel 4 Senior Commissioning Editor Vivienne Molokwu. For Motion Content Group (part of GroupM, WPP’s media investment group), the fund will be managed by Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Deep Sehgal.

The new and dedicated fund is designed to support ethnically diverse-led companies and is about backing and bringing to life fantastic ideas from creative leaders who are from diverse ethnic groups.

Channel 4 and Motion want ideas for this new investment to be creatively exciting, entertaining and returnable.

Last year Channel 4 committed to tripling its spend with ethnically diverse-led indies by the end of 2023, and pledged that every commissioning editor will have at least one ethnically diverse-led indie on their development slate.  It made these commitments as part of the legacy of its ground breaking Black to Front Project, pledging to deliver a lasting step change in diverse representation both on and off screen. 

Vivienne Molokwu said “At Channel 4 we recognise that spend is what makes the difference to indies and if we want to meaningfully diversify our suppliers, we have to supercharge increasing the hours commissioned with ethnically diverse-led indies.

“Although we already work closely with a number of eligible indies and have already become the first broadcaster to ring-fence commissioning spend for ethnically diverse-led indies, by working with Motion Content Group we increase the opportunity for returnable, commercial formats further reflecting our genuine commitment  made as part of the Black to Front Project to significant, lasting change.”

Deep Sehgal from Motion said: “Our aim is to help create a sustainable pipeline of diverse production talent – and we’re bringing that to life with substantial, long-term investment.  Motion continues to work with some of the most successful independent producers in the country, and we are passionate about lending that expertise to enabling and supporting more diverse voices.” 

A creative brief is live now on 4Producers and eligible indies* will be encouraged to pitch ideas in the usual way, through commissioning editors and Heads of Department, with commissioning rounds spread throughout the year.  

The Channel 4 Creative Diversity Team, headed up Naomi Sesay, will be on hand to support production companies.

The fund is part of Channel 4’s overarching commitment to accelerate diversity and inclusion in the TV landscape, and is a proportion of Channel 4’s ringfenced spend with ethnically diverse-led indies.

Motion’s partnership with Channel 4 to create this fund supports GroupM and WPP’s bold ambition to help drive systemic change and improve diversity and inclusion across the industry.

Ends

Press contact Channel 4: SMackean@Channel4.co.uk

Press contact Motion Content Group: Georgina.liggins@groupm.com

Notes to editors

* In order to be eligible for the Channel 4 & Motion Content Group Diverse Indies Fund, indies must meet these criteria:

1. Not less than 25% of the shareholders in the relevant production company are individual(s) from an ethnically diverse background.
2. Turnover in the most recently publicly available accounts must be below £5 million if pitching an unscripted title. For scripted the cap should be below £10 million.
3. There cannot be any investment from and / or shareholding held by a multinational or pan-national studio or production group. This does not include ‘first look’ and distribution deals. Investment from individuals and other individual UK entities is permitted, as are shareholdings.

Full details can be found at:

https://www.channel4.com/commissioning/diverse-indies-fund

About Motion Content Group:   

Motion Content Group funds, develops, produces and distributes both original and third-party premium content to create value and opportunities for its partners and advertisers. 

Working with the world’s leading talent, producers and distributors Motion aims to support the editorial, creative and commercial requirements of over 200 networks and platforms.  Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Motion currently operates in over 30 countries worldwide and has a broad range of award-winning programming distributed globally.  

Motion Content Group is part of GroupM, the world’s leading full-service media investment management operation, a WPP company.  

Follow Motion: Twitter: @motion_content, Instagram: @MotionContentGroup,   and LinkedIn.   

Channel 4 funds overseen by Vivienne Molokwu

As well as the Diverse Indies Fund, Channel 4 Senior Commissioning Editor Vivienne Molokwu will also oversee the broadcaster’s next round of the Global Format Fund later in the year.