Bid to bring C4 to city launched
COVENTRY MAKES ITS CASE AS BROADCASTER LOOKS TO RELOCATE...
IT’S OFFICIAL – Coventry is in the running to become the location of the new Channel 4 headquarters.
The bid to bring the broadcaster to the West Midlands was formally launched yesterday.
Several locations in the city have been touted – as well as some in Birmingham – in the bid by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The bids from all regional contestants have been submitted and Channel 4 will shortlist the entries by May 30.
A final decision will be made later in the year with the move starting in early 2019.
The ‘4 All the UK’ strategy will be part of the biggest restructure of Channel 4 in its 35-year history. The broadcaster is looking to increase its spend on productions in the nations and regions from 35% to a voluntary 50%.
It’s not ditching London completely – it will still keep its headquarters in Westminster – but it is looking to relocate to diversify the content it offers.
As well as the new headquarters – which will feature a television studio, offices and a new digital production unit – there will also be three new creative hubs created in locations to be decided across the country.
If Coventry wins, the city would get a major economic boost. Not only would the city cash in terms of jobs, but if the headquarters were based here it would see more shows created right here in the heart of the city. Friargate has been touted as the perfect location for the broadcaster, given its proximity to the railway station and its fast and regular intercity services to London. The key strapline of the bid is ‘Get Closer.’ As well as the region flaunting its transport links and diversity, judges are being reminded about some of the massive events coming up such as Coventry becoming the UK’s City of Culture in 2021.
The WMCA says choosing Coventry or Birmingham will allow Channel 4 to:
‘Get closer to the whole of the UK.’.. “The region’s unparalleled connectedness will enable C4 to: access the broadest pool of talent, ideas and resources, a bigger supply chain and a broader outlook, and to sustain close and genuine links with other key locations and networks while getting closer to those whose stories you want to tell.”
‘Get closer to your audience.’..“We are the most diverse region in the country (47% BAME population in Birmingham and 34% in Coventry), and we celebrate diversity of opinion. In the West Midlands diversity is all around and C4 can be at the heart of it.”
‘Get closer to your future.’.. “The West Midlands is fertile ground for a new kind of broadcasting pioneered by Channel 4.”
‘Get closer to the world.’.. “The West Midlands is about to go global like no other UK region in history. We’re preparing to host Coventry City of Culture 2021 and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.”
Councillor George Duggins , leader of Coventry City Council, said: “Coventry is a city at the very heart of the country, with unrivalled transport links that make us the perfect choice for firms looking to relocate and build for the future.
“Our young, diverse population has helped us be named UK City of Culture 2021; we are home to award-winning universities, multinational companies and we are a growing city with a reputation for design and innovation.
“In terms of location, skilled workers, culture and future potential, we are the right choice for Channel 4 and we would be delighted to welcome them to Coventry and help build something special for the network and for our city.”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We want Channel 4 here in the West Midlands, benefiting from, and enabling us to deliver, the ongoing change that is transforming this region into the most exciting in the country.
“We already have everything in place to enable C4 to pioneer new content, new platforms and new forms of production to meet and enhance the needs of its audience. When you look at what this region has to offer C4 the case for coming here is beyond question.”
And Major media players are backing the bid for the West Midlands.
Laura McMillan, Director of Operations and Legacy at the Coventry City of Culture Trust, said: “There’s a real ambition in Coventry and it feel likes there’s a real moment going on in the Midlands. It’s a really diverse city – and a very young city – with a real energy.
“It’s youthful in its approach to placemaking and creativity, and it’s also a university city. A city of dreams. One of the things I’ll be looking at will be how we develop the creative economy of Coventry. Television and media is a big part of that.”