View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
April 22, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

C4 funding faces threat from rivals

By Press Gazette

Channel 4 has warned that competitive pressure in the wake of the ITV merger could threaten its ability to fund its programming schedule at current levels.

The warning came from chief executive Mark Thompson on Tuesday, as the channel released its 2003 annual report announcing its largest pre-tax profit in four years.

In his statement, Thompson said: “Competitive pressures unleashed by technological change and market consolidation are putting our economic model under strain, and may eventually threaten our ability to continue funding the kind of ambitious and diverse schedule that the channel assembled in 2003.”

Channel 4’s overall viewing share dropped slightly last year to 9.6 per cent, from the 10 per cent it held over the two previous years.

The channel paid ITN £22.5m for its news coverage, up from £19.9m previously.

The £3.6m increase was reflected in the midday Channel 4 News bulletin launched in the run-up to the war in Iraq, raising the number of news hours to 346 from 280 in 2002.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Channel 4’s total programming expenditure was £457m, up from £434m in 2002.

Pre-tax profits nearly trebled to £45m from £16.5m last year on turnover of £770m – almost unchanged from £767m in 2002.

“Our best financial performance in half a decade coincided with our highest ever annual programme budget,” Thompson said.

By Wale Azeez

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network