Channel 4 announces strategic review to renew public service vision

19 June 2007

Channel 4 announces strategic review to renew and strengthen its public service vision in the digital age

• Group pledges a "bold new vision for Channel 4's public service contribution"
• Full consultation with main stakeholders
• Board to publish annual Statement of Public Purposes to review delivery against public service remit

Channel 4 has today unveiled details of a major strategic review that will lead to the broadcaster publishing a fresh articulation of its public service purpose and vision.

The review process, overseen by Chairman Luke Johnson and the Channel 4 board, and being led internally by Chief Executive Andy Duncan, will involve the channel's senior management team examining how its public remit should best develop in the digital age and how Channel 4 can better account for its delivery against that remit.

The second phase of the review, in the autumn, will involve discussions with key stakeholders, including Ofcom, Government, viewers, producers and advertisers and other interest groups to ensure they have a say in the group's future.

The Channel 4 board has been developing its plans for the review over a number of months and has now gone public on the process following confirmation last week that Ofcom is to begin "evaluating options for medium- to long-term intervention to secure [Channel 4's] public purposes".

Speaking today at a Westminster Media Forum event, Duncan said the review would seek to answer three important questions: whether the channel's current remit adequately reflected its wide-ranging public role; how the channel could update its assessment of its remit delivery; and how it could better capture and demonstrate to stakeholders the public value it delivered, including its wider economic impact. 

Duncan revealed the initial internal phase of the review, lasting into the autumn, would involve a number of workstreams, with Director of Television and Content, Kevin Lygo, leading a review of the channel's creative on-screen vision. Other review groups will focus on Channel 4's creative and economic impact off-screen, future audience needs, and how to develop a robust new framework for capturing and tracking public value.

Group Finance Director, Anne Bulford, will lead a review group looking at the best operational model to fulfil the channel's public service vision, including options for future forms of public support for Channel 4 to replace the analogue spectrum it is currently gifted.

Chairman Luke Johnson said the outcome of the review would be "a bold new vision for Channel 4's public service contribution in a digital world" and would determine the optimum strategy for delivering it. He added: "This vision will capture the full nature of our public service contribution in the digital age across all our activities. It will give our viewers and stakeholders clarity about the role that Channel 4 plays in delivering public value as we approach switchover. It will help to better demonstrate the many ways in which Channel 4 makes a vital contribution to viewers, society and the British economy."

The Channel 4 board, in consultation with Ofcom, is currently examining ways to strengthen its public accountability. Johnson said new measures would include the Channel 4 Board publishing a new Annual Statement of Public Service Purpose and a review of the Group's performance against its public service commitments alongside its annual financial review each year.

Johnson said the Group had already unveiled a number of measures designed to make it more accountable to its viewers, including the appointment of a new Viewers Editor.

"A bright future as a public asset"

Duncan told his audience at the Westminster Media Forum that "delivering public purposes" was Channel 4's "whole reason for being" and said the latest report from Ofcom's Financial Review confirmed that the channel was delivering against its public service remit. He added: "Now our efforts must focus on ensuring we don't ever reach the position where we have to stop fulfilling our remit because of financial pressures."

He continued: "Though we are committed to re-creating a vision of Channel 4 for the digital world, and to refreshing its remit, these imperatives lie at the heart of the enterprise: to commission programmes and content in strength and breadth, based on our unique combination of remit values of innovation, distinctiveness, diversity and education; to help ensure the commercial strength and diversity of the UK's creative sector; and, to ensure public service plurality by providing competition for the BBC."

Channel 4's Chief Executive concluded: "Our task in the coming months is to convince politicians, policy-makers and the public that Channel 4 has a bright future as a public asset, newly shaped to meet the demands of a dynamic post-digital age and fully accountable to its many stakeholders."

Channel 4 announces strategic review to renew and strengthen its public service vision in the digital age

• Group pledges a "bold new vision for Channel 4's public service contribution"
• Full consultation with main stakeholders
• Board to publish annual Statement of Public Purposes to review delivery against public service remit

Channel 4 has today unveiled details of a major strategic review that will lead to the broadcaster publishing a fresh articulation of its public service purpose and vision.

The review process, overseen by Chairman Luke Johnson and the Channel 4 board, and being led internally by Chief Executive Andy Duncan, will involve the channel's senior management team examining how its public remit should best develop in the digital age and how Channel 4 can better account for its delivery against that remit.

The second phase of the review, in the autumn, will involve discussions with key stakeholders, including Ofcom, Government, viewers, producers and advertisers and other interest groups to ensure they have a say in the group's future.

The Channel 4 board has been developing its plans for the review over a number of months and has now gone public on the process following confirmation last week that Ofcom is to begin "evaluating options for medium- to long-term intervention to secure [Channel 4's] public purposes".

Speaking today at a Westminster Media Forum event, Duncan said the review would seek to answer three important questions: whether the channel's current remit adequately reflected its wide-ranging public role; how the channel could update its assessment of its remit delivery; and how it could better capture and demonstrate to stakeholders the public value it delivered, including its wider economic impact. 

Duncan revealed the initial internal phase of the review, lasting into the autumn, would involve a number of workstreams, with Director of Television and Content, Kevin Lygo, leading a review of the channel's creative on-screen vision. Other review groups will focus on Channel 4's creative and economic impact off-screen, future audience needs, and how to develop a robust new framework for capturing and tracking public value.

Group Finance Director, Anne Bulford, will lead a review group looking at the best operational model to fulfil the channel's public service vision, including options for future forms of public support for Channel 4 to replace the analogue spectrum it is currently gifted.

Chairman Luke Johnson said the outcome of the review would be "a bold new vision for Channel 4's public service contribution in a digital world" and would determine the optimum strategy for delivering it. He added: "This vision will capture the full nature of our public service contribution in the digital age across all our activities. It will give our viewers and stakeholders clarity about the role that Channel 4 plays in delivering public value as we approach switchover. It will help to better demonstrate the many ways in which Channel 4 makes a vital contribution to viewers, society and the British economy."

The Channel 4 board, in consultation with Ofcom, is currently examining ways to strengthen its public accountability. Johnson said new measures would include the Channel 4 Board publishing a new Annual Statement of Public Service Purpose and a review of the Group's performance against its public service commitments alongside its annual financial review each year.

Johnson said the Group had already unveiled a number of measures designed to make it more accountable to its viewers, including the appointment of a new Viewers Editor.

"A bright future as a public asset"

Duncan told his audience at the Westminster Media Forum that "delivering public purposes" was Channel 4's "whole reason for being" and said the latest report from Ofcom's Financial Review confirmed that the channel was delivering against its public service remit. He added: "Now our efforts must focus on ensuring we don't ever reach the position where we have to stop fulfilling our remit because of financial pressures."

He continued: "Though we are committed to re-creating a vision of Channel 4 for the digital world, and to refreshing its remit, these imperatives lie at the heart of the enterprise: to commission programmes and content in strength and breadth, based on our unique combination of remit values of innovation, distinctiveness, diversity and education; to help ensure the commercial strength and diversity of the UK's creative sector; and, to ensure public service plurality by providing competition for the BBC."

Channel 4's Chief Executive concluded: "Our task in the coming months is to convince politicians, policy-makers and the public that Channel 4 has a bright future as a public asset, newly shaped to meet the demands of a dynamic post-digital age and fully accountable to its many stakeholders."

Channel 4 announces strategic review to renew and strengthen its public service vision in the digital age

• Group pledges a "bold new vision for Channel 4's public service contribution"
• Full consultation with main stakeholders
• Board to publish annual Statement of Public Purposes to review delivery against public service remit

Channel 4 has today unveiled details of a major strategic review that will lead to the broadcaster publishing a fresh articulation of its public service purpose and vision.

The review process, overseen by Chairman Luke Johnson and the Channel 4 board, and being led internally by Chief Executive Andy Duncan, will involve the channel's senior management team examining how its public remit should best develop in the digital age and how Channel 4 can better account for its delivery against that remit.

The second phase of the review, in the autumn, will involve discussions with key stakeholders, including Ofcom, Government, viewers, producers and advertisers and other interest groups to ensure they have a say in the group's future.

The Channel 4 board has been developing its plans for the review over a number of months and has now gone public on the process following confirmation last week that Ofcom is to begin "evaluating options for medium- to long-term intervention to secure [Channel 4's] public purposes".

Speaking today at a Westminster Media Forum event, Duncan said the review would seek to answer three important questions: whether the channel's current remit adequately reflected its wide-ranging public role; how the channel could update its assessment of its remit delivery; and how it could better capture and demonstrate to stakeholders the public value it delivered, including its wider economic impact. 

Duncan revealed the initial internal phase of the review, lasting into the autumn, would involve a number of workstreams, with Director of Television and Content, Kevin Lygo, leading a review of the channel's creative on-screen vision. Other review groups will focus on Channel 4's creative and economic impact off-screen, future audience needs, and how to develop a robust new framework for capturing and tracking public value.

Group Finance Director, Anne Bulford, will lead a review group looking at the best operational model to fulfil the channel's public service vision, including options for future forms of public support for Channel 4 to replace the analogue spectrum it is currently gifted.

Chairman Luke Johnson said the outcome of the review would be "a bold new vision for Channel 4's public service contribution in a digital world" and would determine the optimum strategy for delivering it. He added: "This vision will capture the full nature of our public service contribution in the digital age across all our activities. It will give our viewers and stakeholders clarity about the role that Channel 4 plays in delivering public value as we approach switchover. It will help to better demonstrate the many ways in which Channel 4 makes a vital contribution to viewers, society and the British economy."

The Channel 4 board, in consultation with Ofcom, is currently examining ways to strengthen its public accountability. Johnson said new measures would include the Channel 4 Board publishing a new Annual Statement of Public Service Purpose and a review of the Group's performance against its public service commitments alongside its annual financial review each year.

Johnson said the Group had already unveiled a number of measures designed to make it more accountable to its viewers, including the appointment of a new Viewers Editor.

"A bright future as a public asset"

Duncan told his audience at the Westminster Media Forum that "delivering public purposes" was Channel 4's "whole reason for being" and said the latest report from Ofcom's Financial Review confirmed that the channel was delivering against its public service remit. He added: "Now our efforts must focus on ensuring we don't ever reach the position where we have to stop fulfilling our remit because of financial pressures."

He continued: "Though we are committed to re-creating a vision of Channel 4 for the digital world, and to refreshing its remit, these imperatives lie at the heart of the enterprise: to commission programmes and content in strength and breadth, based on our unique combination of remit values of innovation, distinctiveness, diversity and education; to help ensure the commercial strength and diversity of the UK's creative sector; and, to ensure public service plurality by providing competition for the BBC."

Channel 4's Chief Executive concluded: "Our task in the coming months is to convince politicians, policy-makers and the public that Channel 4 has a bright future as a public asset, newly shaped to meet the demands of a dynamic post-digital age and fully accountable to its many stakeholders."