Channel 4 has reported a three-fold year-on-year increase in UK viewing of full episodes of TV shows on YouTube in the first quarter of 2024 and its made-for-social network Channel 4.0.
As part of its Fast Forward strategy announced earlier this year, Channel 4 committed to doubling all social views by 2030, including increasing the amount of content on YouTube.
Documentaries including 60 Days on The Estates (which hit 1.9 million views in the first quarter) plus soap Hollyoaks drove a trebling of Channel 4’s YouTube full episode audience. Social-first creators such as Nella Rose and Harry Pinero drove similar view growth to its made-for-social network Channel 4.0 in Q1.
Views of full episodes of Channel 4 programming on YouTube increased +200% year on year in Q1, from 7.6m to 23m.
Full episode views of Channel 4 documentaries on YouTube including The Push: Murder On The Cliff and To Catch A Copper were among the most watched Channel 4 shows on YouTube. The most viewed full episode on YouTube was The Kidnap Of Angel Lynn, with more than 1.1 million views in Q1.
Channel 4.0 saw a 242% rise of its UK views in Q1 to 25m views. Channel 4.0 launched on YouTube in 2022 and on TikTok and Instagram in 2023, focussing on formats led by content creators. Worst In Class, where Harry Pinero takes A-List digital talent back to school netted 5 million views in Q1 across series 1 and 2.
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