Channel 4 expands digital diversity of supply in 2011

14 October 2011

Since unrolling its strategy to increase digital diversity of supply earlier this year, Channel 4 has partnered with more new and emergent digital companies in 2011 than ever before.

This year Channel 4's Content and Commissioning team have worked with 130 new creative digital companies, an increase of 28% on 2010. 

From factual to education to entertainment, Channel 4 has worked with a range of companies to pioneer multiplatform activity. Social website developer Mint Digital and technical production company Lingobee - new to Channel 4 - developed the unique online visualisation of a sex survey for The Sex Education Show; social website company Monterosa worked on the multiplatform activity for New Look Style the Nation on T4; and Brighton-based Big Robot scored their first project with Channel 4 to create an online game for Channel 4 Education, Fallen City.

Major digital commissions from companies new to Channel 4 include Mobile Pie creating a mobile game for Misfits and an app for Made in Chelsea, both big returning series for E4; and Maverick and Mudlark are partnering to create the multiplatform activity around Channel 4's upcoming specialist factual series, Food Hospital.

Richard Davidson-Houston, Head of Channel 4 Online said:

"Strength and diversity of supply are the most important drivers of our success. It is a huge privilege to be in a position to work with such an array of talented companies from around the UK. I am proud to say that our commitment to diversity will shortly be underpinned with the appointment of a Commissioning Editor for Games to be based in Glasgow."

Channel 4's multiplatform activity has also continued to expand across the regions in 2011.  In addition, and 54 digital creative companies working with Channel 4 are based outside London, compared to 33 last year.

This includes over 30 digital companies across the country with whom Channel 4 has worked for the first time, including: Stardotstar, Clusta, CX Partners, Mobile Pie, Numiko, Chunk, Loc8, Mubaloo, Nice, UsTwo, Super User Studio, Lingobee, Render Positive and The Connected Set.

Activity in the North of England saw Channel 4 work for the first time with companies including digital supplier 13 Strides, commissioned for design and editorial content for C4's IAAF World Athletics Championships. And in addition to producing the Street Summer website, Numiko are developing the website for Channel 4's forthcoming online comedy showcase, Comedy Blaps.

Channel 4 is championing creativity in Northern Ireland.  Waddell Media's 4Thought.tv has been recommissioned for a second year and its digital content, created by digital partnership Atto and Johnston North, is being relaunched this month. Viral and digital animation company, Flickerpix Animations, has received funding to develop a series of viral animations to form part of the 2012 Paralympics project. 

In Scotland, Channel 4 has made a series of multiplatform commissions throughout the year, including digital and gaming company Chunk, who have been commissioned to provide the multiplatform content for forthcoming game show The Bank Job. 

Digital design agency ISO have also been commissioned to produce the interactive showcase of arts shorts to complement the Random Acts strand.

Susie Wright, Media Project Manager, Channel 4 Creative Diversity, adds:

"Diversity of supply is proving to be a major success for Channel 4. What's exciting for me is that we are working with more emergent and new companies than ever before, many of which have never previously worked with Channel 4."