Channel 4 Plans To Launch National Talk Radio Station

Channel 4 is believed to be considering plans to launch a national, speech-based, digital radio station sometime next year to compete directly with BBC Radio Four.

The initiative is the brainchild of Channel 4’s recently appointed chairman, Luke Johnson, who is looking at ways to diversify the broadcaster’s revenue in the face of increasing competition from new digital channels entering the market.

The station is still in the very earliest stages of development, but reports suggest it will be a primarily talk-based offering, with a limited amount of music programming designed to complement Channel 4’s main terrestrial television station.

Johnson, who has been working on the initiative with a number of other senior Channel 4 executives, told the Sunday Telegraph: “There would be potential for cross-marketing, promoting radio on television as the BBC has done. We may even market the station through our advertising sales arm.”

Channel 4 looks likely to launch the station in conjunction with an existing radio company, rather than take the risk of going solo with what could prove an extremely costly venture. Reports suggest the broadcaster is currently in negotiations with a number of potential partners including UBC, which owns the licence currently used to transmit digital speech-station oneword.

The radio venture is being bankrolled by the £90 million fund which was set aside for new ventures after Channel 4 almost tripled its profits last year. Rob Woodward, director of Channel 4’s commercial arm, is understood to be closely involved in the project, along with Kevin Lygo, director of television programming.

Earlier this year Channel 4 announced plans to launch a raft of new digital channels in efforts to corner specialist markets and increase its overall audience share. The broadcaster is thought to be planning stations focusing on music, factual and comedy programming, as well as the much anticipated More 4, due to launch later this year on the Freeview platform (see Channel 4 Planning Raft Of Digital Channels).

Channel 4 has been the subject of much scrutiny lately after it emerged that the broadcaster is keen to forge closer links with Channel Five. The two commercial rivals have held tentative discussions about the logistics of a merger, which would strengthen their position in the increasingly competitive multi-channel landscape (see Government Could Back Merger Of Commercial Channels).

Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.co.uk

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