Disability

In 2002 we plan to build on the success of the 2001 Blinded season and keep disability firmly in peaktime.  We are also carrying forward Freak Out, building a season of programmes around Born Freak, in which Mat Fraser tells the history of the freak show.

The second series of Vee-TV will continue to open up new opportunities for young deaf people in broadcasting. The production team on the first series mixed deaf and hearing staff at every level and key deaf members were given on-the-job training and support. During the production of the second series there will be more structured training including skill and career development for new recruits and returning members of the team.

In 2002 we plan to develop the Vee-TV model and expand opportunities for disabled as well as deaf people. We will also publish, with other members of the Broadcasters' Disability Network, a new Manifesto and Action Plan on disability.

We will raise awareness among producers for the need to include people with disabilities in productions on screen and off screen, as we have already done in our policy of increasing multicultural representation.

Gay

In 2002, Channel 4 will re-emphasise its commitment to intelligent and intellectually provocative gay programmes that would not find a place elsewhere in British television.  Series in 2002 will include The Truth about Gay Sex, Lesbian Love Stories, and The Queens Wedding, a signature documentary by Paul Watson shot in Manchester.

Religion

Channel 4’s religious output aims to reflect the range of faiths and beliefs in society.  We will produce two major drama documentaries in 2002, and will continue our commitment to Witness as the home of single films.

The Muslims in Britain season in Spring 2002 will focus on the experience of Muslim communities across Britain.  It includes investigative current affairs programmes as well as documentaries on white converts to Islam and the religious aspirations of young Muslim men.  

In 2002/3 Simon Jenkins will present a series on the British Church, and there will be landmark series presented by Philip Pullman.

There will also be a ground breaking landmark series on Death and the experience of dying, a series which has been three years in the making.

Accountability

We will launch a new cross platform content initiative to enable viewers to criticise and comment on our programmes in a modern successor to Right to Reply.  We will continue our successful online discussions in the C4.com chat rooms after major programmes. We will continue to monitor our key reputations among our target audiences.

Nations & Regions

Channel 4 is committed to spending 30% of its programme resources outside London. We will continue to ring fence programmes and series for regional companies, and in 2002 will ring fence factual strands for prime time production including the returning series Football Stories.  We will maintain our commitment to the Regional Development Programme.  We will increase our company development investment for regional companies and we will roll out further initiatives in key creative cities across the UK.