BBC4’s comedy investment is to be ringfenced despite a scaling back of drama on the channel under today’s proposals.

The DQF report states that BBC4’s “distinctive contribution to UK comedy” will be protected, alongside its commitment to foreign language drama and film.

Comedy shows to have launched on the channel include The Thick of It, Lead Balloon and Getting On, all of which have transferred to BBC2, plus series such as Twenty Twelve, The Great Outdoors and sketch show Cowards.

But BBC4’s commitment to the genre has been downplayed in recent months and it was notably absent from a recent speech given by controller Richard Klein.

Despite delivering some of BBC4’s best audiences with one-offs such as Hattie and Enid, drama will face cuts as BBC2’s drama strategy “matures”, the report said, adding that BBC4 will continue to show the best drama and comedy from the BBC’s archive.

Arts, music and culture and distinctive factual, in particular the Storyville strand, will be priority areas for new investment as part of the strategy to force BBC4 and BBC2 to complement each other more closely.

BBC2 will continue to take the lead in bringing serious and ambitious science, history, business and natural history to a broad audience.

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