Report praises Channel 4's commitment to international programming

22 June 2011

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A report into broadcasting of international content on UK television has praised Channel 4 for its commitment to international factual programming.

The report, Outside the Box - How UK broadcasters portrayed the wider world in 2010 and how international content can achieve greater impact with audiences, from the International Broadcasting Trust and University of East Anglia, expresses concern at the dramatic reduction in international factual programming, with its migration to digital channels with smaller audiences.

"In 2010, the main UK terrestrial channels broadcast fewer hours of international factual programming than at any time since the study began. International [factual] content is in decline on every terrestrial channel except Channel 4."

The report continues: "The one terrestrial channel which has not seen a significant decrease over the last decade is Channel 4. International factual coverage on Channel 4 has remained fairly constant at just above 200 hours."

That 200 hours of international factual programming compares to less than 140 hours on BBC2, around 100 hours on BBC1, and under 70 for Channel 5 and ITV1. The report specifically praises "Channel 4's continuing commitment to its peak time international strand Unreported World."

Of all the international programmes to be screened, there continues to be a disproportionate amount of content relating to North America and Europe. But, according to the report: "29% of all coverage of Asia was on Channel 4 with its India Season, and many programmes in the Unreported World and Dispatches strands."

Another programme to receive special praise was Channel 4's drama The Promise. "Channel 4, with The Promise, has shown that international drama can draw audiences and create genuine impact."

This genuine impact can be harnessed and increased by an effective web presence to support the programmes. There was praise for the microsites supporting The Promise and Unreported World. "While most international programmes now have their own websites, often these are little more than holding pages for their trailers. The microsites of Unreported World and The Promise demonstrate that much more can be made of these sites... No international programme has come close to the number of hits received by Channel 4 for The Promise."

The report also recognises that in 2010, More4 had a record amount of new international factual programming. "On More4, the majority of its international factual programming comes from it True Stories strand, which has helped it to have more international coverage than Channel 5, ITV1, BBC3 and Sky1."