Channel 4 swaps 4oD for All 4

All 4 will go live at the end of March 2015 and will be built around a user interface that has been developed from the ground up to showcase C4’s expanding portfolio of digital products.

The broadcaster has been struggling to find a home for its range of digital features beyond VoD and has been shoehorning them into the “cluttered” legacy platform of 4oD, which was built primarily as a long-form video player.

“We could have continued to build small extensions on the house, but we have opted to build a whole new environment,” said C4 director of strategy and technology Keith Underwood. “We recognise the strength of the 4oD brand but we felt it didn’t best reflect the expanding range of services that we offer consumers”.

The All 4 hub, which was first mooted by C4 chief executive David Abraham in May, will initially launch on PCs, Macs and as an iOS app, before a wider rollout. It is structured around three verticals – On Demand, Now and On Soon – which are designed to be simple for users to navigate between.

On Demand will feature long-form archive and catch-up shows that currently make up 4oD. This will sit alongside programme-related information, such as cast interviews and galleries.

The ‘Now’ vertical will comprise linear streams of C4’s portfolio of channels, which are currently available online but are not front and centre of the 4oD proposition. It will evolve to include playalong elements and trending content such as news clips and viral videos.

On Soon will showcase forthcoming shows through clips, trailers and sizzle reels, and enable users to set alerts about future programmes, as well as viewing exclusive premieres.

“This is a completely new application, not just an evolution of what has gone before,” Underwood said. “It is much more sophisticated in the way in which it presents content. All 4 represents a reset moment which reflects our strategy of providing a broader range of content services.”

The ability to offer a highly personalised experience has been hard- wired into All 4. C4’s 11 million registered users will initially be presented with targeted programme recommendations, with further advances, including a potential viewer loyalty rewards system, earmarked for future updates.

The broadcaster also hopes that All 4 will help re-energise its individual channel brands online after they were absorbed into the 4oD profile. While All 4 will act as a parent brand, individual channels will be highlighted more clearly in the new system.

All 4, which will replace the existing channel4.com site, has been developed in-house and will be unveiled by Abraham at the IBC conference this week. “We think the future of TV viewing lies not with either linear or on-demand, but a creative and visual integration of the two worlds,” he said.