Channel 4 has set out the guidelines for cities bidding to be the home of its new national HQ or one of its two new ‘creative hubs.’
Programme commissioning editors overseeing “significant budget and with responsibility for some of Channel 4’s biggest shows” will be based across the three new creative hubs – alongside other “creative and business functions.”
The broadcaster will also keep its Horseferry Road building but some of it will become “a new drop-in workspace for use by Nations & Regions indies and creative companies building their business with clients in the capital.”
The new National HQ will be a “broad-based centre, including commissioning, production, digital content and related support functions from across the organisation.”
The two creative hubs “will begin with a focus on programme commissioning, but will welcome a broader talent base as we develop our plans and deepen our commitment in the Nations and Regions,” says Channel 4.
All three new centres will need to be able to provide “state of the art, creatively-orientated office spaces that will attract the best talent and provide our teams with
the right environment to do their best work.” The new offices need to have “cutting edge connectivity and technology to enable fully agile working facilities and a seamless experience between our geographically dispersed locations.”
Channel 4 also said the new locations will need to attract talent and so “quality of life and the general attractiveness of any new location is therefore paramount.” as are national transport options.
The National HQ will include a “state-of-the-art studio” that will be used to produce Channel 4 programmes and events and broadcast live daily programmes including Channel
4 News which will be co-anchored from outside the London studio every night.
Channel 4’s requirements
National HQ
Working population of 200,000+
Travel time to London up to 3hrs
High level of physical and digital connectivity/infrastructure
Creative hubs 1+2
Working population of 75,000+
Travel time to London up to 4hrs
Proximity to a well-developed independent TV/Digital production community
Jon Creamer
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