Channel 4 big rise in ring-fenced funding to back progamme making in the devolved nation

Channel 4 is increasing its ring-fenced content spending with independent production companies in the Celtic nations to £35m.

The improved funding commitment forms part of the channel’s nations and English regions strategy announced in October last year. It aims to increase its commitment to indies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from 9% of its current main channel content spend and hours to 12% by 2028.

It is part of its new 10-year licence and two years ahead of the channel’s 2030 quota requirement set by regulator Ofcom. In the run up to 2028, the Channel 4 will commit to spending £10m in 2026 and £25m in 2027 with indies outside of England.

There will not be guaranteed spending levels in each of the devolved nations, As a competitive process this could see Welsh indies securing a higher, or lower, spending allocation when measured against the Welsh population share (around 30%) of the Celtic nations. Independents in Wales will also be free to bid, as they are currently, for other commissions from the channel’s main budget.

The channel has also assembled a s