U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has announced a Global Format Fund that will invest in new British-created and produced formats with global potential that will initially be worth £30 million ($40 million) over two years.Channel 4 will guarantee minimum runs and recommissioning triggers up front for projects greenlit under this approach. The Fund will focus on genres with the greatest potential for global format success, including daytime, factual entertainment, features and entertainment.The Fund is part of Channel 4's new Future4 strategy...
Channel 4
Alex
Mahon
CEO
A Ph.D. who started out in physics and eyed a career as an astronaut, Mahon moved into strategy roles for RTL Group and Fremantle before growing Shine Group as its CEO. Since taking over Channel 4 in 2017 — the first female chief executive in the broadcaster’s 38-year history — she’s worked to implement a digital-first plan, prioritizing growth of streaming platform All4. On her watch, C4 has built on its heritage as a trailblazer in diversity, opening offices throughout the U.K. and, in 2019, launching a menopause awareness policy. A Black Takeover Day planned for 2021 will see every show on the channel fronted and produced by Black talent. However, coronavirus and SVOD rivals have made Mahon’s challenge of running C4 a bit tricky, and she’s had to cut her programming budget due to a slump in ad revenues just as streamers have been ratcheting up their U.K. investments.