Channel 4 launches socially-driven channel called 4seven

Channel 4 has announced the launch of a new channel, called 4seven, at the FT’s Digital Media Conference this morning.

The channel will re-air shows that create the most buzz within social media over the past seven days, giving people an opportunity to catch up on the programmes they’ve missed – and give more time to those that people talk about the most.

Channel 4 CEO David Abraham released minimal details during his opening presentation at day two of the event, but said that the broadcaster would take advantage of social media conversations that enhance the word of mouth discussion TV programmes have always generated.

There’s no current launch date for the first new channel to be launched from Channel 4 since More4 in 2005, but Abraham did say that it would be rolled out across all major TV platforms later this year.

With so much choice out there, viewers are increasingly saying they sometimes just miss the best stuff, despite their PVR and VOD. 4seven will give viewers more chances to catch the most popular and talked about Channel 4 shows from the last seven days."

He added that the launch of 4seven supports its strategy of embracing the opportunities of connectivity, by exploring ways to deepen engagement with viewers and expand the choices it offers them.

Abraham suggested that people might look at the channel as an extension of the main Channel 4 channel, in the guise of a '+1' format, rather than as a separate channel like E4 or More 4.

Also within his presentation, Abraham noted the importance of programme recommendations on 4OD, the broacaster’s on-demand platform, saying that it’s just as important to utilise these – and combine social recommendations as well – for publishers as it it to retailers.