Future4

Channel 4 is built on strong foundations. Since we were created in 1982, we have been at the centre of national conversations and have been instrumental in creating a truly world-beating production sector.

Channel 4's Future4 strategy builds upon our strong track record of digital innovation and will accelerate Channel 4’s pivot to digital by driving both online viewing and new revenues. It’s an ambitious and comprehensive plan to transform Channel 4 into a digital PSB that retains its distinctive brand and public service impact.

With a strong bias towards digital growth, Future4 will ensure that Channel 4 thrives in the digital age and continues to deliver for the creative industries, the economy and the wider public.

It's a Sin promotional image of the cast fronted by Olly Alexander

Targets

The Future4 strategy sets clear targets for the next five years:

Double streaming by 2025
Digital advertising to be at least 30% of total revenue by 2025
Non-advertising to be at least 10% of total revenue by 2025

Strategic pillars

A central goal of the Future4 strategy is to double streaming by 2025. To achieve this, we are dialling up our ambitions for streaming and doubling down on the types of programmes that we know people love to binge on demand.

Investing more in highly distinctive, young skewing formats, which are the engines of success for streaming on Channel 4
Using deeper audience insights to find shows that drive streaming
Maximising use of our Leeds-based digital content hub, 4Studio, to produce more original shorts and grow branded digital entertainment
Continuing to be as noisy and unruly as ever and finding new inventive and entertaining ways of engaging people with the most important issues
Launching a £30 million Global Format Fund to invest in new British-created and produced content formats that have global potential

Viewers’ expectations are changing in a digital world. They expect Channel 4 to know how they watch, where they watch and why they watch. They expect more content, communications and experiences based on their motivations – not just their demographics.

Using a more viewer-centric approach to inform activity and decisions across Channel 4
Rolling out personalisation features on Channel 4 streaming, including smarter recommendations
Evolving how we commission, schedule, plan and develop products, sell and market to put viewers at the heart
Giving our channels a better connection between their editorial position and their brand

We have clear commercial targets as part of the Future4 strategy: digital advertising to be at least 30% of total revenue and non-advertising to be at least 10% of total revenue by 2025.

Innovating our core advertising proposition for a digital world through data driven targeting, including allowing clients to ‘bring their own data’ to target Channel 4 streaming viewers via our BrandMatch offer
Diversifying our revenue streams by making the most of our ad-free Channel 4+ proposition and scaling the Indie growth Fund and Channel 4 Ventures further, as well as launching new Global Format Fund
Provide innovative creative opportunities for clients including ad break takeovers and branded social content

Channel 4 has partnership in its DNA and our success is built upon working with other organisations, and this will become even more important in the future.

Building upon our network and forging new arrangements to get our content in front of the right audiences, more of the time
Further developing mutually beneficial collaboration in production, advertising, distribution and technology