[RhysJR]

And unsurprisingly it is being reported Rise And Fall will not return. As The Sun headline describes it, 'a hugely expensive flop'.

deadline.com 

Channel 4 Cancels ‘Rise And Fall’ From ‘The Traitors’ Producer – Deadline
Channel 4 has canceled 'Rise and Fall' from 'The Traitors' p…
  Source: deadline.com

[Brekkie]

Surely that was already confirmed, not that it needed to be. It was pretty much known it wouldn't come back within the first week of it airing.

[XIII]

Apparently Channel 4 has more commissioners than ITV and Channel 5, the latter not that surprising but there does seem to be a lot of fat at Channel 4 that could be trimmed.

[Brekkie]

Although less commissioners likely means working with less production companies and risks a narrower view of what should be commissioned.

The axing though should start at the very top.

[tellyblues]

Maybe there's a lack of focus - and subsequent panic - on what C4 commission but I think blame also lies at development level about not knowing the purpose of the channel and also perhaps taking commissions for granted.

[Omnipresent]

Channel 4 has just issued a press release on the restructure.

It confirms a large number of redundancies, the closure of smaller linear channels (including the Box channels) and it will leave its base at Horseferry Road.

www.channel4.com 

Channel 4 shares plans to become digital-first public service streamer by 2030 |…
Channel 4 today unveiled an ambitious five-year strategy to reshape the organisa…
  Source: www.channel4.com

Channel 4 today unveiled an ambitious five-year strategy to reshape the organisation and accelerate its transformation into an agile, genuinely digital-first public service streamer by 2030.

The strategy – called Fast Forward – will ensure Channel 4 embraces the generational shift that is taking place in TV viewing, to elevate its impact across the UK and stand out in a world of global entertainment conglomerates and social media giants.

[TMD_24]

They are merging their content teams into Drama and Film, New Entertainment and Reality, Documentaries and Factual Entertainment. Lots of commissioners being cut as well.

x.com 

[JMT1985]

This press release was a great example of PR spin - really Sir Humphrey Appleby from Yes Minister would have been proud of how they managed to turn failure into a feeling of a fresh new start.

An example of a Sir Humphrey Appleby inspired PR nonsense was the following:

"“While getting ourselves into the right shape for the future is without doubt the right action to take, it does involve making difficult decisions. I am very sad that some of our excellent colleagues will lose their jobs because of the changes ahead. But the reality of the rapid downshift in the UK economy and advertising market demand that we must change structurally"

I am also interested in this wish on their list of "Doubling the number of members of Channel 4+, the ad-free tier, by 2030" - nice statement, but nowhere did they say how they will achieve this goal.

And then came the hit in the stomach when at last they revealed the job cuts - I do agree that their London base is a complete waste of money - their Horseferry Road offices has no studios, and it is a huge building, which is not needed any more - just look at ITV, moving out of their tower block HQ of The London Studios and now renting space at the Television Centre's White City office block and a smaller office area in London.

[Keith]

Channel 4 has just issued a press release on the restructure.

It confirms a large number of redundancies, the closure of smaller linear channels (including the Box channels) and it will leave its base at Horseferry Road.

www.channel4.com 

I guess two major takeaway points from that press release are...

Moving out of Channel 4’s London base in the next few years. With 600 roles based outside of London by the end of 2025, lower headcount in London overall, and a shift to flexible working, Channel 4 will find a new fit-for-purpose office space in central London

Presumably some people and/or jobs may move to either their national HQ in Leeds, or creative hubs in Bristol and Glasgow. I'm guessing there's probably been some empty space at Horseferry Road since 2020 when these opened, and that remote working means that they don't needs as many large meeting rooms and conference spaces. Probably much cheaper to hire a couple floors in another building for the remaining London staff.

Proposing to close small linear channels that no longer deliver revenues or public value at scale, including the Box channels in 2024 and others at the right time

They've been notably vague in specifying which "small linear channels" they propose to close and when, apart from confirming the Box channels will close this year. I'm guessing that +1 channels and 4Seven may fall into these categories, especially if they've also announced they wish to increase use of the Channel 4 streaming service, especially their ad-free subscription.

[DAL1189]

Maybe this isn’t what channel four want, and maybe would be controversial, but if Channel 4’s remit as the “alternative public service broadcaster” is so important (which it is!) then surely it isn’t mental to suggest some sort of public subsidy. Clearly channel 4 has lost its way in recent years in an attempt to keep itself on the right financial track to make those shows that push the boundaries.

I also think for a fair few of us in our 20s, growing up watching Channel 4’s programmes was something of a staple, I get we’re not really in that linear television age but it feels like the channel has become, to coin a phrase, all together less relevant. I’m not really sure if that’s important, or how you’d get that back, it just feels like for all the individual successes (It’s a sin being the last real major ground breaking show for me with major public impact) there’s not really a coherent structure to get people to watch the channel aside from tuning in for things they like, like Goggle Box or 24 Hours in A&E or Bake-off.