Channel 4’s creative and digital departments set for Leeds HQ
Channel 4’s new National HQ in Leeds will house its creative and digital departments and will also be the base of the managing director of C4 Nations & Regions.
The broadcaster says it will formally announce the building it has selected as its new HQ in the coming weeks. However, the former nightclub, Majestic, which is currently being refurbished by Rushbond after a major fire tore through the building, is understood to be the chosen location. Channel 4 will not comment further at this stage.
The National HQ in Leeds will have creative and digital departments and will also be the base of the Managing Director, C4 Nations & Regions – a new senior role who will lead the 4 All the UK strategy across the business. This new role will be supported by leaders from the departments represented in the National HQ.
Commissioning departments represented in the new National HQ will include: Comedy, Daytime, Drama, Entertainment & Live Events, E4, Factual, Features & Formats and Sport. It will also include members of the On-Screen Talent and Creative Diversity teams, responsible for the diversity of Channel 4’s talent and programming.
Commissioners from these departments will work with producers and talent across the UK to support the significant growth in Channel 4’s Nations & Regions content spend and create more opportunities for regional voices and talent on and off-screen.
Leeds will also be the home of Channel 4’s new Digital Creative Unit – a new department commissioning and producing digital content to reach audiences on social and digital platforms. The Digital Creative Unit will work with departments across the organisation, and with independent producers, to support new digital talent and Channel 4’s investment in young-focussed content and audiences.
Additionally, the National HQ will also house other creative departments including the on-air continuity department, who produce and voice the airtime between Channel 4 programmes; and the Pictures team, commissioning and creating images for All 4 and for external media.
There will also be a team supporting a new studio within the National HQ, and creative and digital roles from 4Creative, All 4, and the Listings team.
The boradcaster’s Indie Growth Fund will be based in Leeds and there will also be roles from the Advertising Sales Operations team.
Leeds will be home to a range of key business support and operations personnel, supporting the delivery of Channel 4’s creative and commercial work. This will include Audience Research & Insight, Business Affairs, Corporate Relations, Data Science, Finance, Human Resources, Information & Archives, Press & Publicity, Production Finance, Systems Delivery, Technology and Workspace.
There will be some roles from partner contractors – including the ITN team as part of the new Channel 4 News hub based in the National HQ.
Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4, made the announcement whilst updating staff and partners in the industry on its plans for the National HQ and the two Creative Hubs in Bristol and Glasgow.
Mahon said: “We are moving fast and we are on track to open our three new bases in the Nations & Regions this autumn. Channel 4 will soon be a very different organisation to the one we have been for the last 36 years.
“There remains much hard work for us to do, but this is part of our strategy to ensure Channel 4 is even more open to new talent and new voices from underserved areas and better reflects the diversity of all of the UK.”
Roger Marsh OBE, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the NP11, added: “This really is the spark. It’s excellent news that creative and future facing parts of Channel 4 will be located in Leeds City Region plugging into our significant tech and creative ecosystem.
“The sheer spread of functions and roles announced demonstrates the magnitude of commitment the broadcaster has made. The partnership we’ve built as a region with Channel 4 has a great momentum and we’re really proud to be part of this transformation.”
