[tellyblues]

Not sure it's a good idea to be smiling in photos after you've just fired 200 people and your company's future is this bleak.

Unfortunately this bizarre interview proves that Mahon is not the right person to lead Channel 4 at the moment. Pivoting to digital in 2024 is embarrassingly late. She should have begged the government to let Channel 4 make their own programming when she first started. They are in this situation because they failed to build their own IP.

"It's happening everywhere" - It's not happening at Sky and it's not happening at ITV.

That isn't true. All broadcasters are finding it difficult and cutting their cloths accordingly. Again, they can commission what they want (to a degree). Channel 4 cannot. ITV isn't awash with hits - the Boris Becker doc... My Mum Your Dad... which has been artificially ramped and lauded a success because of a couple of positive reviews and being given a second series, but it isn't a hit. Wheel of Fortune isn't getting anywhere near the numbers expected. Jeopardy's claim to fame is it is marginally better than Riddiculous.

There is so much wrong with Channel 4's programming at the moment and has been for a long time but if somebody offers up an alternative it's met with "can't do that... born risky... has to be new". The 90s and 00s had GamesMaster, TFI Friday and The Priory for young people but these wouldn't work now regardless of them not being "new" because that audience isn't watching linear and older viewers are set in their ways with shows on other channels. It's no guarantee for success and the ITV shows mentioned are proof of that but nothing in C4 primetime promotes the supposedly great comedies at all well. Who is tuning in to George Clarke or Kirsty and Phil that is the target audience for Big Boys? But what are the shows for young people that could air pre-watershed and be a success?