Channel 4 to replace 4oD with ‘All 4’

Channel 4 is replacing its 4oD on demand service with a new digital home for all the broadcaster’s content – both live and catch-up – dubbed All 4, which will open up more online advertising opportunities for brands.

Channel 4 All 4
How the All 4 interface will look on iOS.

All 4 will replace 4oD across all platforms from the end of the first quarter of 2015, initially across PC and iOS devices.

The new interface will feature three sections: “On Demand”, for content that has already been broadcast as well as other related information such as cast interviews and galleries; “Now”, for linear content and interactive experiences such as social media feeds and news clips; and “On Soon”, showcasing clips and programmes from forthcoming programmes and allowing viewers to set some reminders.

Channel 4 says its new “Shorts” platform, which features bite-sized content, will be “tightly integrated” across all three sections and also available in a dedicated hub of its own.

The broadcaster is aiming for All 4 to become “increasingly personalised”, leveraging its audience database of more than 11 million viewers to surface bespoke content.

While Channel 4 has yet to announce new advertising formats for All 4, the introduction of linear content means the hub will contain more content than 4oD, offering up more inventory to advertisers. It is likely Channel 4 will provide a further update to advertisers at its annual Upfronts in November.

Unveiling All 4 at the IBC Conference in Amsterdam today (11 September), Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham said: “Having been a pioneer of VoD services in the UK, we think the future of TV viewing lies not with either linear or on-demand, but a creative and visual integration of the two worlds, blending the strengths of both into a single brand.

“We believe All 4 will deliver the most advanced broadcaster response to changing viewer behaviour in the digital age, and will help ensure that our content portfolio remains an important, valued part of viewers’ TV consumption for decades to come.”

Channel 4’s online and non traditional ad revenue grew 15 per cent to £61m in 2013, accounting for 6.7 per cent of total revenue.