David Farnor | On 02, Jun 2022

Channel 4 has inked a new partnership with YouTube as it looks to adopt a digital-first strategy,

The extension of its previous relationship with the streaming giant will make hundreds of hours of programmes available on YouTube in the UK/Eire and enable Channel 4 to sell its own advertising around these shows, marking the first deal of its kind across the UK and Europe.

The new deal represents a major step in Channel 4’s digital transformation as it continues to make significant strides against its five-year Future4 strategy to accelerate digital growth, reach young audiences where they enjoy watching content and increase new revenue streams. The partnership with YouTube, which is used by 98 per cent of online 18-34-year-olds each month, will make 1,000 hours of full Channel 4 and E4 episodes from new and popular series available to watch across Channel 4’s YouTube network by the end of 2022 – with content already starting to roll out.

Some of the shows to be published on YouTube include 8 Out Of 10 Cats; SAS: Who Dares Wins, Nikki Grahame: Who Is She?, Unapologetic, Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me and Davina McCall’s Language of Love. Selected programmes will be made available to watch on YouTube 30 days after first being broadcast on Channel 4 and E4, as part of a wider syndication strategy.

Alex Mahon, Chief Executive of Channel 4 said: “Innovative strategic partnerships are Channel 4’s speciality, and this new relationship with YouTube is another which will ensure we continue to keep growing our reach with young audiences and build on our unrivalled digital success. Together with YouTube we have created a powerful consumer channel full of our brilliant Channel 4 content. This will engage even more viewers through the enhanced reach and digital scale of YouTube, combined with the dynamism of the Channel 4 brand.”

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