Channel 4 News introduces 60-second online video round-up

Channel 4 News has introduced a new online video series called 460, which aims to offer "an update of the day's agenda" for mobile phone and tablet audiences in particular, within one minute.

The new 60-second format of online video is the latest in a number of similar projects launched by Channel 4 News.

These include the channel's online explainer videos, offering more detail or background on complex stories, and its new studio-based interview series What The Four, where presenter Jon Snow only asks questions presented by social media audiences. What The Four is live-streamed to the Channel 4 News website.

Online video producer for Channel 4 News Kamali Melbourne told Journalism.co.uk that the new 460 videos, the first of which was published on Friday 7 March, are an "experiment", and an "attempt to try and give people news on the go" in a "bite-sized format". The first example is embedded below.



The decision to work with a 60-second time limit was based on research findings on engagement, he explained.

"Our research tells us that engagement tails off from online offerings after 60 seconds. We think this is the right amount of time for people who want to watch news on their mobiles and tablets, to get an update of the day's agenda".

The videos are published to YouTube, and then further promoted on Channel 4 News's social media accounts.

Kamali, along with other "presenters who aren't on-screen known faces", deliver the one minute round-up from the studio, but with a "slightly more relaxed" approach.

And while there may be some cross-over between the top stories shared via 460 and in the evening news bulletin, Kamali said some selections for the 460 agenda may be "slightly different", with a focus on stories of interest to a young, online audience, he said.

But, he added, they will wait and see what this audience has to say about the approach being taken at the start, and go from there.

"This is a trial ," he said, adding that it is "another attempt by us to expand into the online space" and "to be distinctive from our rivals".

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