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View the Channel 4 International website
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Channel 4 International (C4i)
Channel 4 International (C4i) is the television rights exploitation arm of 4 Rights. Typically, C4i licenses programme rights to TV stations across the world but also licenses rights to satellite and cable channels in the UK.
C4i Catalogue
The majority of C4i's catalogue is Channel 4 programming, although an increasing percentage of the catalogue is made up of rights for programmes that have been commissioned for other channels in the UK and internationally. The C4i programme library spans drama, documentary films and series, comedy, animation, music and arts and has recently been expanded with the inclusion of the FilmFour and the HBO documentary catalogue.
C4i manages a substantial investment fund which it uses to acquire rights and to commission the development of programmes that have relevance to the international market. C4i is also responsible for all co-production activities for Channel 4 working with the world's major broadcasters. A co-production is essentially a joint venture between more than one broadcaster to produce a programme that will be shown by each. This type of arrangement is often necessary for big budget programmes which would otherwise be considered uneconomic for each party to fund on its own.
Channel 4 International Structure
C4i is structured around six specialist teams: sales, co-production, servicing, marketing, legal and finance.
The Sales Team
The Sales team has built up relationships with an extremely broad range of buyers across the globe. In addition to meeting regularly with buyers in their home territories, the Sales team represents the C4i catalogue at all the key international programme markets including the Marché International des Programmes de Télévision (MIP) and the Marché International des Films et des Programmes pour la TV, la Vidéo, le Câble et le Satellite (MIPCOM), both held in Cannes in France.
The Co-production Team
The Co-production team is responsible for co-ordinating all Channel 4's co-production activities. Once a project is approved the team works directly with all the parties, Channel 4, the Producer and the co-production partners to ensure its successful completion. They have established long term relationships and contracted co-production with output deals with key partners including Discovery Communications, A & E Networks, PBS, WNET, WGBH, National Geographic, Bravo, Comedy Central, CBC (Canada), ARTE (France/Germany), France Television, NDR (Germany), ZDF Enterprises (Germany), Mediatrade (Italy), ABC (Australia and TVNZ (New Zealand). With its experience of the international marketplace, this unit can also advise producers on how ideas might be developed to maximise their international potential.
The Marketing Team
The Marketing team is responsible for both marketing the C4i catalogue to broadcast buyers and marketing distribution services to producers. C4i operates within a very well defined business-to-business environment with approximately 300 key broadcast clients internationally. The department uses a mix of on-line marketing, direct mail, trade advertising and public relations and has developed one of the industry's most advanced integrated sales websites.
The Servicing Team
The Servicing team is responsible for securing from producers and distributing to buyers master materials enabling buyers to transmit and promote the programmes they have bought. These range from digital transmission tapes through scripts and music cue sheets that enable broadcasters to dub and subtitle programming to stills and publicity materials that enable broadcasters to promote the programmes they have bought.
Legal and Business Affairs
4 Rights has its own Legal and Business Affairs team that works across C4i and Consumer Products areas and specialises in international co-production agreements, distribution and licensing and merchandising issues.
Finance
The Finance department also works across C4i and Consumer Products and is responsible for collecting, reporting and paying out revenues that arise from its activities as well as providing all the departmental financial information for management.
4 Rights
Channel 4 International | Consumer Products
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