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Bristol on shortlist to be new home for Channel 4
Bristol is one of seven locations on the shortlist to become the new regional home of Channel 4.
Now it just remains for the city to convince broadcasting bosses that its unique blend of creativity, innovation and diversity make it the perfect match for the station.
Bristol is in the running to be either the new HQ or one of two creative hubs as Channel 4 implements its pledge to become less London-centric and move a chunk of its workforce out of the capital.
is needed now More than ever
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees speaking at BCfm’s diversity in the media summit at Easton Community Centre
Mayor Marvin Rees has taken a lead role in the bid process, along with partners, and welcomed the announcement that the city has made the shortlist.
“Bristol has a culture of innovation which disrupts the norm and has always been a city that makes things happen,” said Rees.
“We are a city which reflects the diversity of the UK and the globe, with a commitment to inclusion, stretching from our grassroots organisations to the top of political leadership.
“Channel 4 is built on innovative and distinctive broadcasting which stimulates debate and champions alternative points of view. It is committed to diversity and nurturing new talent to change people’s lives. These are values we share and want in Bristol and it is because of this that I believe that Channel 4 would be good for Bristol and Bristol would be good for Channel 4.
“Now, with our fantastic partners across the city’s creative and media sectors, we look forward to welcoming Channel 4 in the coming weeks to show them our talent, creativity and the possibilities of our city. We will discuss how we could work together and develop their vision for the future alongside ours.”
The new Bristol City Poet, Vanessa Kissule, is one example of Bristol’s diverse cultural offering
Bristol is up amongst Cardiff, Glasgow, Greater Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and the West Midlands for the coveted honour of becoming the new HQ for Channel 4.
It is a bid that has united creative, political and business leaders across the city and one that is expected to bring a wealth of jobs, talent and opportunities.
People have taken to Twitter to celebrate the announcement from Channel 4 and Simon Prescott, a partner at the Bristol branch of planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore, said the announcement is yet another vote of confidence for the city.
The publicly-owned broadcasting giant received more than 30 submissions and narrowed entries down to a shortlist of seven cities in the running to be the new HQ and a further six that could become a creative hub. The plan is to relocate 300 jobs to regional locations.
Channel 4’s chief commercial officer, Jonathan Allan, said: “We’ve been incredibly impressed both by the number of pitches we received and by the high quality of the submissions – which has underlined the huge amount of creativity, innovation and talent right across the UK.”
Bosses from Channel 4 will be visiting the Bristol imminently and the city will hope to showcase its diverse offering and willingness to tackle faults head on.
Bristol is already a filming location for a number of Channel 4 programmes, including the drama series Kiri (pictured)
The final decision is expected to be made in October.
Read more: ‘Bristol’s values match those of Channel 4’
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