Channel4 launches Broadband Simulcast to meet challenge of "Now" media

21 June 2006

Channel 4 is to begin simulcasting its commissioned TV output via broadband, making it the first major UK broadcaster to launch a service of this type.

Chief Executive, Andy Duncan, confirmed the launch whilst delivering the New Statesman's annual media lecture today.

In his speech, Maximising Public Value in the "Now" Media World, Duncan said broadcasters had to start thinking of new media as "the ‘now' media", adding: "I don't see the digital revolution as an attack on Channel 4's power as a public broadcaster.  I see it as a fantastic opportunity to build on what Channel 4 has always done - stimulate, infuriate, debate, create.  The difference is we're doing it in many more ways than just via broadcast these days, because we have to engage with the public wherever they are."

The new broadband simulcast will be available to PC users from 27th June via the channel4.com website. Registered users will be able to access a streamed live version of the Channel 4 schedule, allowing them to watch Channel 4's flagship shows at the same time as their TV transmission.

At launch the service will not include acquired programmes and films and will carry the same commercials as the Channel 4 TV service, although Channel 4 has plans to sell advertising spots on the service in due course.

Duncan told his audience at London's Banqueting Hall that the transition from analogue to digital could look "chaotic, anarchic, frightening even", but called on broadcasters and policy-makers not to "surrender our ability or abandon our duty to make choices about the post-digital media environment we want".

Channel 4's Chief Executive claimed "enlightened public intervention and putting purposes before profit" had been responsible for Britain developing a "world class" public service broadcasting ecology and a vibrant creative economy.  He continued: "It is our call whether we still want to extract public, as well as commercial, value from our media system, and if so how we might achieve this in a nation more globally integrated yet more socially fragmented than the Britain John Reith - or even John Major - presided over."

Duncan welcomed "sensible forms of indirect support" for Channel 4 identified by the Government in the BBC White Paper.  He stressed, however, that these were only the first steps towards ensuring that Channel 4 could continue to play its part as "the only meaningful [public service] competitor to the BBC in vital areas like education, innovation and distinctive quality".

Anticipating Ofcom's review of Channel 4's financial position, to be completed in 2007, Duncan said the regulator had "a historic opportunity to identify and propose the longer-term solutions that I believe will be necessary to secure Channel 4's future as a public corporation and the key public service competitor to the BBC".

He added: "The big unknown is how entirely commercially-supported alternatives to the BBC can be made viable until the completion of switchover, much less beyond it.  There's only one way to remove that uncertainty, and that is to take steps now to safeguard the future of Channel 4."

In a wide ranging speech, Duncan outlined how he saw Channel 4's unique public service contribution developing in an "exploding media market" offering "endless choice".  He said Channel 4 was "different by constitution, by remit, and by ambition" to both the BBC and commercial broadcasters, like ITV and Five, and identified key areas where he felt Channel 4's alternative perspective continued to create public value including innovation, news, social tolerance and education. 

He described a specific educational role for public service broadcasters, like Channel 4, helping viewers navigate "a bewilderingly complex multi-media world, sorting the significant from the merely fascinating among the Babel of messages". Describing "public service TV" as "the sturdiest bridge we have from the old analogue world of the mass viewing experience to the rapidly emerging future of consumer-led, made-to-measure media", he claimed Channel 4 would be a "trusted guide in a confusing world" because its unique public-private status gave it independence from Government, shareholders and other vested interests.

Duncan also underlined Channel 4's vital support for the UK's creative economy, which he described as "critical to Britain's cultural and economic future".

Channel 4's Chief Executive welcomed the BBC's recent Creative Future announcement, but added: "Much of the BBC's creative future is already Channel 4's present.  If the Corporation positions itself as the Harrods of the media world (motto: omnia omnibus ubique), providing everything for everyone, everywhere will simply replicate services (at huge public cost) for the sake of occupying the territory, when surely its real job is to add value and distinctiveness.  

"Mid-20th-century imperialism is out of fashion and out of order.  No-one would claim to be the best at everything, and resources - public or commercial - are finite.  The BBC must, of course, be adequately funded, but it shouldn't be over-funded.  It's important we concentrate on contributing what we're each good at."

Duncan concluded: "We have two public corporations in British media, the products of inspired intervention.  Both of them world class.  Both are pioneering new forms of public value, each in different ways.  Britain is lucky to have them both.  More importantly, Britain needs them both."

Channel 4 is to begin simulcasting its commissioned TV output via broadband, making it the first major UK broadcaster to launch a service of this type.

Chief Executive, Andy Duncan, confirmed the launch whilst delivering the New Statesman's annual media lecture today.

In his speech, Maximising Public Value in the "Now" Media World, Duncan said broadcasters had to start thinking of new media as "the ‘now' media", adding: "I don't see the digital revolution as an attack on Channel 4's power as a public broadcaster.  I see it as a fantastic opportunity to build on what Channel 4 has always done - stimulate, infuriate, debate, create.  The difference is we're doing it in many more ways than just via broadcast these days, because we have to engage with the public wherever they are."

The new broadband simulcast will be available to PC users from 27th June via the channel4.com website. Registered users will be able to access a streamed live version of the Channel 4 schedule, allowing them to watch Channel 4's flagship shows at the same time as their TV transmission.

At launch the service will not include acquired programmes and films and will carry the same commercials as the Channel 4 TV service, although Channel 4 has plans to sell advertising spots on the service in due course.

Duncan told his audience at London's Banqueting Hall that the transition from analogue to digital could look "chaotic, anarchic, frightening even", but called on broadcasters and policy-makers not to "surrender our ability or abandon our duty to make choices about the post-digital media environment we want".

Channel 4's Chief Executive claimed "enlightened public intervention and putting purposes before profit" had been responsible for Britain developing a "world class" public service broadcasting ecology and a vibrant creative economy.  He continued: "It is our call whether we still want to extract public, as well as commercial, value from our media system, and if so how we might achieve this in a nation more globally integrated yet more socially fragmented than the Britain John Reith - or even John Major - presided over."

Duncan welcomed "sensible forms of indirect support" for Channel 4 identified by the Government in the BBC White Paper.  He stressed, however, that these were only the first steps towards ensuring that Channel 4 could continue to play its part as "the only meaningful [public service] competitor to the BBC in vital areas like education, innovation and distinctive quality".

Anticipating Ofcom's review of Channel 4's financial position, to be completed in 2007, Duncan said the regulator had "a historic opportunity to identify and propose the longer-term solutions that I believe will be necessary to secure Channel 4's future as a public corporation and the key public service competitor to the BBC".

He added: "The big unknown is how entirely commercially-supported alternatives to the BBC can be made viable until the completion of switchover, much less beyond it.  There's only one way to remove that uncertainty, and that is to take steps now to safeguard the future of Channel 4."

In a wide ranging speech, Duncan outlined how he saw Channel 4's unique public service contribution developing in an "exploding media market" offering "endless choice".  He said Channel 4 was "different by constitution, by remit, and by ambition" to both the BBC and commercial broadcasters, like ITV and Five, and identified key areas where he felt Channel 4's alternative perspective continued to create public value including innovation, news, social tolerance and education. 

He described a specific educational role for public service broadcasters, like Channel 4, helping viewers navigate "a bewilderingly complex multi-media world, sorting the significant from the merely fascinating among the Babel of messages". Describing "public service TV" as "the sturdiest bridge we have from the old analogue world of the mass viewing experience to the rapidly emerging future of consumer-led, made-to-measure media", he claimed Channel 4 would be a "trusted guide in a confusing world" because its unique public-private status gave it independence from Government, shareholders and other vested interests.

Duncan also underlined Channel 4's vital support for the UK's creative economy, which he described as "critical to Britain's cultural and economic future".

Channel 4's Chief Executive welcomed the BBC's recent Creative Future announcement, but added: "Much of the BBC's creative future is already Channel 4's present.  If the Corporation positions itself as the Harrods of the media world (motto: omnia omnibus ubique), providing everything for everyone, everywhere will simply replicate services (at huge public cost) for the sake of occupying the territory, when surely its real job is to add value and distinctiveness.  

"Mid-20th-century imperialism is out of fashion and out of order.  No-one would claim to be the best at everything, and resources - public or commercial - are finite.  The BBC must, of course, be adequately funded, but it shouldn't be over-funded.  It's important we concentrate on contributing what we're each good at."

Duncan concluded: "We have two public corporations in British media, the products of inspired intervention.  Both of them world class.  Both are pioneering new forms of public value, each in different ways.  Britain is lucky to have them both.  More importantly, Britain needs them both."

Channel 4 is to begin simulcasting its commissioned TV output via broadband, making it the first major UK broadcaster to launch a service of this type.

Chief Executive, Andy Duncan, confirmed the launch whilst delivering the New Statesman's annual media lecture today.

In his speech, Maximising Public Value in the "Now" Media World, Duncan said broadcasters had to start thinking of new media as "the ‘now' media", adding: "I don't see the digital revolution as an attack on Channel 4's power as a public broadcaster.  I see it as a fantastic opportunity to build on what Channel 4 has always done - stimulate, infuriate, debate, create.  The difference is we're doing it in many more ways than just via broadcast these days, because we have to engage with the public wherever they are."

The new broadband simulcast will be available to PC users from 27th June via the channel4.com website. Registered users will be able to access a streamed live version of the Channel 4 schedule, allowing them to watch Channel 4's flagship shows at the same time as their TV transmission.

At launch the service will not include acquired programmes and films and will carry the same commercials as the Channel 4 TV service, although Channel 4 has plans to sell advertising spots on the service in due course.

Duncan told his audience at London's Banqueting Hall that the transition from analogue to digital could look "chaotic, anarchic, frightening even", but called on broadcasters and policy-makers not to "surrender our ability or abandon our duty to make choices about the post-digital media environment we want".

Channel 4's Chief Executive claimed "enlightened public intervention and putting purposes before profit" had been responsible for Britain developing a "world class" public service broadcasting ecology and a vibrant creative economy.  He continued: "It is our call whether we still want to extract public, as well as commercial, value from our media system, and if so how we might achieve this in a nation more globally integrated yet more socially fragmented than the Britain John Reith - or even John Major - presided over."

Duncan welcomed "sensible forms of indirect support" for Channel 4 identified by the Government in the BBC White Paper.  He stressed, however, that these were only the first steps towards ensuring that Channel 4 could continue to play its part as "the only meaningful [public service] competitor to the BBC in vital areas like education, innovation and distinctive quality".

Anticipating Ofcom's review of Channel 4's financial position, to be completed in 2007, Duncan said the regulator had "a historic opportunity to identify and propose the longer-term solutions that I believe will be necessary to secure Channel 4's future as a public corporation and the key public service competitor to the BBC".

He added: "The big unknown is how entirely commercially-supported alternatives to the BBC can be made viable until the completion of switchover, much less beyond it.  There's only one way to remove that uncertainty, and that is to take steps now to safeguard the future of Channel 4."

In a wide ranging speech, Duncan outlined how he saw Channel 4's unique public service contribution developing in an "exploding media market" offering "endless choice".  He said Channel 4 was "different by constitution, by remit, and by ambition" to both the BBC and commercial broadcasters, like ITV and Five, and identified key areas where he felt Channel 4's alternative perspective continued to create public value including innovation, news, social tolerance and education. 

He described a specific educational role for public service broadcasters, like Channel 4, helping viewers navigate "a bewilderingly complex multi-media world, sorting the significant from the merely fascinating among the Babel of messages". Describing "public service TV" as "the sturdiest bridge we have from the old analogue world of the mass viewing experience to the rapidly emerging future of consumer-led, made-to-measure media", he claimed Channel 4 would be a "trusted guide in a confusing world" because its unique public-private status gave it independence from Government, shareholders and other vested interests.

Duncan also underlined Channel 4's vital support for the UK's creative economy, which he described as "critical to Britain's cultural and economic future".

Channel 4's Chief Executive welcomed the BBC's recent Creative Future announcement, but added: "Much of the BBC's creative future is already Channel 4's present.  If the Corporation positions itself as the Harrods of the media world (motto: omnia omnibus ubique), providing everything for everyone, everywhere will simply replicate services (at huge public cost) for the sake of occupying the territory, when surely its real job is to add value and distinctiveness.  

"Mid-20th-century imperialism is out of fashion and out of order.  No-one would claim to be the best at everything, and resources - public or commercial - are finite.  The BBC must, of course, be adequately funded, but it shouldn't be over-funded.  It's important we concentrate on contributing what we're each good at."

Duncan concluded: "We have two public corporations in British media, the products of inspired intervention.  Both of them world class.  Both are pioneering new forms of public value, each in different ways.  Britain is lucky to have them both.  More importantly, Britain needs them both."