Channel 4 registered its biggest ever month for streaming in March, with the record figures spearheaded by growth from young viewers and gritty true crime content.
The broadcaster’s streaming number are currently up 40% year-on-year with 6.9 billion viewer minutes on the board as it pursues its ambitious ‘Fast Forward’ strategy laid out earlier this year amid sweeping job cuts and senior departures.
These latest figures will no doubt prove welcome news for Channel 4 after the tumult of recent months, with shows such as The Jury: Murder Trial and To Catch a Copper proving popular among the 18-34 demographic.
“I’m delighted to see our streaming-first strategy delivering across genres. In last the few months we’ve had a hugely successful run of factual programming combining purpose and scale,” Channel 4 chief content officer, Ian Katz said.
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“Several of these shows have used the appeal of true crime stories to tackle big topics – like police malpractice, honour killing and debates about the justice system – through projects that are genuinely revelatory and innovative, and get people of all ages talking.
He continued: “This data shows a really strong start to what will be a transformative year, after we laid out our Fast Forward strategy and began reengineering our business to become a genuinely digital-first public service streamer.”
According to BARB data, as much as 18% of the broadcaster’s viewing figures come from streaming, underlining its strategy shift towards a digital-first model.
