SET- UP | MA JOR BROADCAST MOVE
ABOVE It’s hoped Channel 4’s move to Leeds will benefit all of the UK and support up to 3,000 production jobs.
I n the biggest event in Channel 4’s history, which it is calling ‘4 All The UK’, the broadcaster is moving its HQ 200 miles north to the centre of Leeds. Birmingham and Manchester were also competing homes for this broadcaster’s out- of-London move, but in the end Channel 4’s chief executive, Alex Mahon, and the Channel 4 board confirmed Leeds as the location of its new national HQ, with Bristol and Glasgow its two new Creative hubs. Why Leeds? The decision was influenced by the ability to establish a presence close to independent production companies in Yorkshire and the north-east, which aren’t being served by other broadcasters. Channel 4 announced its 4 All the UK strategy in March 2018, revealing the new locations in October, with plans to move next year. Centre to the strategy is a significant increase in the organisation’s nations and regions content spend – from 35% to 50% of main channel UK commissions by 2023, worth up to £250m more in total. This increase in Channel 4’s spend will benefit all areas of the UK, not just the specific locations and will support up to 3,000 production jobs in the nations’ and regions’ economy. The new National HQ and Creative Hubs will be home to 300 Channel 4 jobs responsible for commissioning Channel 4 content and programmes from producers across the UK. The new bases are at the heart of the 4 All the UK plan to ensure that Channel 4 better represents all the UK, on- and off-screen, as well as to help further the increased nations’ and regions’ production spend. when fully established, including key creative decision makers who will be
NORTHERN BROADCASTING POWERHOUSE It’s hoped Channel 4’s decision to move its HQ from London and up the M1 to Leeds will benefit the region’s production community massively PRODUCTION FOCUS
WORDS JULI AN M ITCHELL / PICTURES WI LL GREEN
12 DEF I N I T ION | DECEMBER 20 1 8
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