Channel 4’s content chief Ian Katz has acknowledged that the UK broadcaster and producers are going through a difficult spell amid widespread discontent over show cancelations and cash flow issues.In an email to producers on Wednesday, Katz said he appreciated the support of indies, which supply all of Channel 4’s programming, but warned of more pain to come.Deadline first revealed that shows including Four Weddings had been axed at the eleventh hour, while other content is being delayed until next year. In a story last week, we reported on Channel 4 requesting that indies cash flow shows at late notice, which is seen as unprecedented by some producers.Katz’s message is an attempt to calm a revolt of sorts, with Channel 4 downturn dominating conversations between UK producers. The issue has been exacerbated by Channel 4’s top executives being rewarded with six-figure retention bonuses, which they have decided to defer.“I know how difficult some of these measures have been for producers and teams affected, particularly considering the wider challenges that all indies are facing. I want to stress how incredibly appreciative I am of your support, patience and flexibility,” he said.“I also want to reassure you that the challenges we are facing are cyclical and the product of weakness in the wider economy impacting the advertising market.”Katz warned, however, that Channel 4 will be commissioning “relatively little over the summer months” outside of digital and current affairs. “We’ll have development funding available and I am encouraging our commissioning team to spend this time collaborating more closely with you on the next generation of big ideas for 2024 and beyond,” he said.The Chief Content Officer added that Channel 4 would offer training and mentoring for freelancers, who have lost work as a result of an industry-wide slowdown in unscripted content production.
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