Channel 4 says its delivered a three-fold year-on-year increase in UK viewing of full episodes of TV shows on YouTube in Q1, and, its made-for-social network Channel 4.0.
In the first of a new quarterly update, based on the UK views in 2024, the PSB highlights progress made against its Fast Forward strategy. Channel 4 has committed itself to a doubling of all social views by 2030, including increasing the amount of content on YouTube.
Matt Risley, Managing Director of Channel 4’s in-house digital and social unit 4Studio, said: “Today’s announcement marks further progress on our Fast Forward strategy and keeps us on track for a planned doubling of social views. Our growth on social is translating both into commercial success – with major rights distributors now entrusting us to represent social ad sales for their content – and for viewers it means even more ways to watch.”
Views of full episodes of Channel 4 programming on YouTube increased +200% year on year in Q1 (7.6 million to 23 million) and 333% year on year in April (2.2 million to 9.5 million). Full episode views of Channel 4 documentaries on YouTube including The Push: Murder On The Cliff (1.4 million views in Q1) and To Catch A Copper (1.4 million views in Q1) were among the most watched Channel 4 shows on YouTube. The most viewed full episode on YouTube was The Kidnap Of Angel Lynn, with more than 1.1 million views in Q1.
Channel 4.0 launched on YouTube in 2022 and on TikTok and Instagram in 2023 with a focus on fun and entertaining formats led by a new generation of content creators.
Overall, across all social platforms and all content types, Channel 4’s UK social audience increased by more than a tenth (+12%) in Q1 to 626 million views, and by 9% in April to 232 million views. Channel 4’s TikTok growth continues, up +90% year on year in Q1 to 143 million UK views.
