Culture Media and Sport Committee to question Channel 4 execs

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee will probe execs of the UK pubcaster, Channel 4, regarding its finances, advertising, as well as the company’s broadcasting and streaming strategy.

The meeting tomorrow with C4’s chair, Sir Ian Cheshire and chief executive, Dr Alex Mahon, is part of the committee’s regular scrutiny session of the broadcaster’s annual performance.

MPs will question the broadcaster’s bosses about C4’s overall financial performance in 2022, which was down on 2021’s, and the broadcaster’s long-term strategy beyond 2025. The meeting will scrutinise C4’s dependence on the advertising market and examine its non-advertising revenue. The committee noted in 2022 89% of C4’s income came from advertising. MPs may also discuss C4’s cut in commissioning, its streaming strategy and dependence on younger audiences.

The Media bill, which was published earlier this year sees enables Channel 4 to produce and own rights to its own programmes – something it has not been allowed to do in the past – with what are described as appropriate safeguards for independent producers. The pubcaster has also recently made a move into the FAST market, launching its first ever international channels with streaming platforms Tubi, Plex and Xumo Play in September.

The committee said there will also be further discussions about reports of a ‘toxic’ culture in the broadcasting industry and the PSB’s film unit Film4.

The session will be held in Palace of Westminster, London on Tuesday November 28 at GMT 9:30am.