UK’s Channel 4 trebles viewing of full TV episodes on YouTube in Q1

60 Days on The Estates (Source: Channel 4)

Channel 4 in the UK claims to have trebled viewing of full episodes of its TV shows on YouTube during the first three months of the year.

The findings, revealed in the first of a new quarterly update on C4’s social performance, are based on UK views versus the same period last year and were driven by documentaries such as 60 Days on The Estates (1.9 million views in Q1).

Drama Hollyoaks also fuelled the surge, with views of full episodes of C4 programming on YouTube increasing 200% year on year in Q1 (7.6 million to 23 million) and 333% year on year in April (2.2 million to 9.5 million).

The data is based on UK views and has been released to underline C4’s progress in its Fast Forward strategy, which aims to double all social views by 2030, including increasing the amount of content on YouTube.

The broadcaster has been hit over the past year by an advertising decline, resulting in almost 20% of its workforce being cut. It is also closing channels as part of a plan to become a “digital-first” streamer by 2030.

The broadcaster’s ‘made-for-social’ network Channel 4.0, which pushes youth content from UK-based digital talent via services such as YouTube and TikTok, posted a trebling (+242%) of its UK views in Q1 to 25 million views and an increase of +332% to 11.5 million in April.

C4 pointed to success with creators such as Nella Rose, Harry Pinero, Adeola Patronne, Mariam Musa and Chloe Burrows, with shows including Tapped Out and Clone Heads.

Across all social platforms and all content types, Channel 4 said its UK social audience increased by more than a tenth (+12%) in Q1 to 626 million views, and by 9% in April to 232 million views. Its TikTok growth was up 90% year on year in Q1 to 143 million UK views.

Matt Risley, MD at in-house digital and social unit 4Studio, said: “Our growth on social is translating both into commercial success – with major rights distributors now entrusting us to represent social ad sales for their content – and for viewers it means even more ways to watch.”

Sacha Khari, head of digital commissioning at C4, added: “The success of Channel 4.0 speaks to Channel 4’s remit to advance creative diversity. Our collaborations with creators and publishers is helping to elevate that sector on YouTube and beyond in terms of quality, legitimacy and potency.”