Channel 4 comedy spending to rise in 2014 after 2013 drop
Channel 4 has today published its annual report for 2013, revealing there was a £27 million drop in spending in its Comedy and Entertainment departments.
However, the report also revealed that Comedy would receive a specific spending boost during 2014 whilst other departments are cut, and Head of Comedy Phil Clarke highlighted a desire for programmes "you might not laugh out loud" at.
Of 2013's comedies, Toast Of London, starring Matt Berry (pictured), was singled out for praise as having "upheld a long standing tradition of wicked, cutting-edge comedy on Channel 4".
Comedy department spending fell by £4m on 2012 figures to £62 million, whilst Entertainment - including shows such as 10 O'Clock Live and The Last Leg - dropped to £101m, down from £124m the year before.
Meanwhile, original Channel 4-commissioned comedies totalled 51 hours of programming across the year, down from 68 in the preceeding 12 months. Entertainment was also down, from 1,017 to 779 hours.
The report explained the drop in comedy output as primarily due to the Funny Fortnight programming block in Summer 2012 to celebrate Channel 4's 30th birthday, which has not been resurrected for further years.
This drop in comedy screen-time would seem to be at odds with the broadcaster's ambition for 2013 to "boost the range of comedy shows across Channel 4 and E4".
Head of Comedy, Phil Clarke said: "Of all TV genres, comedy is the most difficult to get right and the easiest to get wrong. Channel 4's comedy output for 2013 not only got it right by entertaining millions of viewers, but it also stimulated debate, promoted alternative viewpoints and nurtured new talent, with strong emphasis on cultural diversity, innovation and distinctiveness. It also experimented with an exceptionally wide range of formats."
He explained: "Our big thrust was on narrative comedy, and as a result of commissioning a raft of new pilots including Scrotal Recall, Raised By Wolves, Catastrophe and Sit.com this year, we'll be seeing many new comedy series in 2014 and 2015.
"We also wanted to have some strong returning shows and with PhoneShop, I'm Spazticus and Cardinal Burns I think we achieved that. We said we'd find new commissions for E4 and we did that too, with shows such as Drifters."
Clarke also highlighted his continued desire to foster a "new generation" of female writing talent, partially achieved with Drifters.
Meanwhile, Channel 4's foul-mouthed sitcom London Irish was singled out for its "terrific writing", and praised as "a raw and unapologetic comedy performed by an amazing young cast".
The report also revealed that Comedy - alongside Factual Entertainment, News and Sport departments - would receive a spending boost in 2014, whilst the overall spend across all programming genres will see a "modest reduction" after record investments in both 2012 and 2013.
Phil Clarke outlined his 2014 comedy strategy as follows: "There's the genuinely alternative voice, like Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy, or Toast Of London - things you really won't find anywhere else. Then there's the 'big joke' strand, where there are big laugh out loud jokes and big energy - shows like Man Down.
"And the third strand, which I want to do more of, is witty, acerbic, knowing comedies. You might not laugh out loud, but they're clever and sophisticated. You admire them. Watch out for Scrotal Recall - the first of more exciting shows to come."
Comedy dramas Fresh Meat, Youngers and My Mad Fat Diary were also praised, for their youth engagement and educational content.