Channel 4: Producers Anxious Network Is Playing Politics By Delaying Shows As It Seeks A Surplus
deadline.comEXCLUSIVE: UK producers are anxious that Channel 4 is scrambling to delay the premiere of more shows until 2024 for political reasons.
The network has delayed at least 20 launches and several producers told Deadline that they believe Channel 4 wants to run a surplus in 2023 — even in the face of a chastening ad market slump.
The theory among producers is that it could be politically embarrassing for Channel 4 to post a loss so soon after winning the privatization battle, during which it repeatedly emphasized its financial sustainability.
Channel 4 stressed that programs move around the schedules “all the time for a number of reasons including editorial considerations, competitor activity, audience demands and the responsible management of content budgets.” Deadline has spoken with multiple producers who reported their launch dates being pushed back.
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