Relocation of Channel 4 to Leeds ‘will spark a creative revolution’
A NEW campaign has been launched to persuade Channel 4 to move to Yorkshire – with a promise that it will spark a revolution in the creative and screen industries in the North and across the UK.
The Leeds City Region partnership of Yorkshire councils has launched its #4Sparks drive to attract the relocation of the commercial broadcaster to Leeds, and it’s been backed by a host of up-and-coming stars who represent the next generation of young and diverse content-makers from the county.
It was announced in the summer that parts of Channel 4 – including it digital arm and some of the responsibility for commissioning programmes – could be relocated to ensure television better represents the North. A bid to be the new home for parts of Channel 4 has already been submitted by Leeds and its neighbour councils.
The local authorities have now teamed up with Screen Yorkshire in a show of solidarity to support the campaign. Roger Marsh OBE, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “There’s a real momentum here and I’m delighted the young creatives of the region have come together to champion the #4Sparks campaign, demonstrating that we offer a distinctive voice for Channel 4. We all know that the region is on the cusp of a real transformation and Channel 4 are the spark, the opportunity that could lead that revolution.”