4oD has been a successful effort, with Channel 4 having offered on-demand television across a range of platforms for several years. But the name is being dumped, and the service is being given a major overhaul to better cater to its target audience. An audience made up of an inordinate percentage of 16- to 34-year-olds.
From 4oD To All 4
Channel 4 in the U.K. is dumping 4oD and relaunching its online streaming television service as All 4. Channel 4 boss David Abraham unveiled the plans during a keynote speech at the IBC entertainment technology conference in Amsterdam.
All 4 is designed to keep up with the times, and especially stay ahead of the curve in terms of delivering content how, when, and where the younger demographics demand it. Channel 4 has always had a healthy youth audience, so it makes sense Channel 4 is the broadcaster to change the status quo.
All 4 One and One 4 All
All 4 will comprise of three main sections: On Demand, Now, and On Soon. The names make it very obvious which section does what.
On Demand will be home to the broadcaster’s catch-up service, and is the like-for-like replacement for 4oD. The line-up of programming available will include old shows and recent shows, as well as extras such as cast interviews.
Now will be the home for Channel 4’s live offerings, including feeds of E4 and More 4, plus news reports and original short-form video content.
On Soon will focus on trailing upcoming shows, with previews, teasers, and other promotional material. Some shows will even premiere on All 4 ahead of their scheduled television broadcast.
4oD will transition across to all platforms by the end of Q1 2015, with PC and iOS targeted first.
Conclusions
This seems to be a positive move on the part of Channel 4. The broadcaster is increasing its online output, clearly realizing it’s only going to grow in terms of popularity. The On Soon section is especially interesting, as it challenges the notion the Internet is only for catching up on missed content. Why not lead rather than follow?
[Via The Guardian]
