Talk about local is funded by 4IP, Screen West Midlands and Advantage West Midlands. Today Channel 4 announced a restructuring of its digital division, which we’ve been expecting for some time. Channel4 is creating a new single online department which will absorb their digital brands including 4IP. 4IP people have been great to work with and we were pleased to see Stuart Cosgrove say today in the Guardian:
“We are not junking any projects and this won’t see the diminution of investment in innovative technology. We’re not pulling the plug on anything,….Technology innovation and digital media will be across the company rather than in one unit, and we will continue to commit that level of investment.”
At talk about local we carry on helping people in deprived or isolated communites across England find a voice online.
The full C4 press release is reproduced below:
Channel 4 reveals structure of Channel 4 Online
Channel 4 today reveals the structure of the new team that will report to Richard Davidson-Houston, Channel 4’s recently appointed Head of Online.
Davidson-Houston was appointed Head of Online in August of this year with responsibility for Online Products, Cross-Platform Commissioning, 4iP and Education. Reporting to Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer, Davidson-Houston is consolidating the existing teams into a single department, Channel 4 Online, which will develop the creative vision for all Channel 4’s multi-platform propositions and services.
Under Davidson-Houston’s leadership Channel 4 Online will be fully integrated into the Content & Commissioning Division to ensure Channel 4’s output is editorially aligned across all platforms. The division will have a clear editorial focus ensuring all multiplatform work meets at least one of three objectives: increase overall consumption of television programming; generate incremental revenue; or increase public value for Channel 4.
Commenting on his new structure, Davidson-Houston said: “Channel 4 is acknowledged as the creator of some of the most talked about online work of the last few years. Key factors in this success have been the skills and creativity of the individual teams and I am very excited to bring them together around common goals. A single Online department at the heart of the channel’s Content & Commissioning Division will be easier for external companies to work with, helping attract the best, most innovative ideas which in turn will enable us to create competitive and relevant experiences for our audiences. This streamlined structure will also ensure all our output is editorially aligned across platforms, helping Channel 4 maintain its distinctive voice in a converged world.â€
As part of this restructure 4iP, the digital co-investment arm which was launched as a pilot, will see its activities merged into existing Channel 4 teams. Resources for new and existing digital format innovation will continue within Channel 4 Online. 4iP’s ongoing equity investments will be managed by Channel 4’s Corporate Development team and the strong relationships with its key funding partners will be maintained under the leadership of Stuart Cosgrove, Channel 4 Director of Creative Diversity.
Stuart Cosgrove said: “Digital innovation is critical to our vision of Channel 4 as a converged creative business and working with the most talented new digital companies is paramount. As an organisation we are now much clearer about how to use digital media to deliver our unique creative remit with even greater impact. 4iP’s integration across Channel 4 means that digital innovation and regional talent development will be placed at the heart of the business. I look forward to continuing to work with talented companies in cities like Birmingham and Sheffield, as well as away from traditional broadcast centres in places such as Dundee, Brighton and Cambridge.â€
Contact: Vicky Powell, Channel 4 – 020 7306 3636 /vpowell@channel4.co.uk
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If anything it might even help you more as 4ip isn’t as recognisable as channel 4. More people from the day to day none techy world who you are trying to target will take more note.
Glad you’ve all survived the chop as you are all doing superb work.