Best annual report – public sector organisation
Britain’s creative greenhouse. A year of impact and growth
Channel Four Television Corporation
Agency: Emperor
Channel Four has a public service remit that requires it to be innovative, to inspire change, to nurture talent and to offer a platform for alternative views. When it came to producing last year’s annual report and accounts, Channel Four was adamant that they had to match such a remit.
In communicating the channel’s performance against its remit, the report had to be fresh, exciting, innovative, engaging, fast, educational, informative, contemporary and original, while still fulfilling all its regulatory obligations.
Agency Emperor had worked with Channel Four in 2014, when it became clear that stakeholders engaged more obviously with the printed version of its annual report rather than the online one. As a result, there was an increased focus on the printed version last year.
Entitled Britain’s creative greenhouse. A year of impact and growth, the report carries the design of Channel Four’s new logo throughout, encompassing its 3D image and colour palette on many spreads. It tells the story of the channel, from the evolution of its remit since its launch in 1982, to its role as a ‘creative greenhouse’, championing innovation in TV, film and digital, while meeting the Government’s strategic objectives.
Channel Four has a complex business model and a vast number of different stakeholders, so Emperor had to take them on a journey through its innovation strategy (in content and diversity) to its impact. Simple bar charts illustrate how the channel is seen in comparison to other broadcasters, in a range of areas, such as reflecting minority views on screen to airing hard hitting factual programmes. A series of case studies throughout the report also showcased the wide range of Channel Four’s programme output.
The judges found the report ‘extremely readable’ and highlighted the Spotlight section as ‘standout’. In that section, Channel Four demonstrated its unique and innovative approach, from shutting down E4 on Election Day, to encourage young people to vote, to the way the broadcaster interacts and identifies new talent.
