Channel 4 Taps UK Comics for New Fact-Checked News Podcasts Aimed at Gen Z

Channel 4 is launching two new news-themed podcasts designed to engage younger audiences with fact-checked journalism. The initiative comes in response to a study highlighting Gen Z's trust issues with traditional news sources, showing a preference for social media content from friends.

Key Takeaways

• Two distinct podcasts, "Untangled" and "A News Thing," will feature prominent UK talent.

• Both aim to combat disinformation and provide reliable information in an accessible format.

• The commissions are a direct response to Channel 4's "Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust" study.

Untangled: Clarity on Current Affairs

Documentary presenter Stacey Dooley and journalist Ben Zand will host "Untangled." This weekly current affairs podcast will delve into the headlines that dominate social media feeds, aiming to provide clarity on why these stories matter. The show will explore both breaking news and under-reported issues, focusing on the human impact of these events. Dooley expressed a desire to "make sense of it all – to have open, honest conversations about the stories everyone’s talking about, without it feeling overwhelming or heavy." Zand added that the goal is to help listeners "get to grips with the biggest stories without feeling overwhelmed by them."

A News Thing: Comedy Meets Current Events

"A News Thing" will be fronted by comedian Michael Odewale, alongside regulars from Channel 4's comedy YouTube channel "A Comedy Thing," including Finlay Christie and Dan Tiernan. This podcast promises an "entertaining and enlightening weekly review of the news," where the comedians will dissect the week's most significant and talked-about stories from across media and online platforms.

Addressing the Disinformation Challenge

The podcasts were commissioned following Channel 4's "Gen Z: Trends, Truth and Trust" study, which revealed that young people place more confidence in social media posts from friends than in established journalism. Louisa Compton, Head of News and Current Affairs, Specialist Factual and Sport, stated, "Young audiences are drowning in an online world of disinformation, divisive and toxic views – as a result they’re hungry for informed, fact checked and reliable information to help them make sense of the world."

Charlie Hyland, Channel 4 Digital Commissioner, and outgoing Head of Digital Commissioning Sacha Khari, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project, combining expertise from Channel 4's Current Affairs and Digital commissioning teams. Khari described them as "two brilliantly distinct but equally vital vodcasts," emphasizing the aim to deliver content that is "smart, fact-checked, entertaining and genuinely relevant in today’s digital world."

Sources

• Stacey Dooley & A Comedy Thing Comics Front Channel 4 News Podcasts, Deadline.