Channel 4 chiefs accept hefty bonuses as revenues fall by record 10%

Channel 4's bosses accepted hundreds of thousands of pounds in bonus payments last year, despite the broadcaster suffering the steepest fall in revenues in its 41-year history.

- Mark Sweney

The state-owned, commercially funded broadcaster reported a 10% fall in total revenues in 2023 to £1.02bn, down £120m from 2022.

While bosses enjoyed bonuses, the Guardian has previously revealed that as a result of last year's poor performance Channel 4 is moving to cut staff numbers by 240, the biggest round of layoffs in at least 15 years.

Channel 4's latest annual report, published yesterday, showed its top executives - the chief executive, Alex Mahon, the chief operating officer, Jonathan Allan, and the chief content officer, Ian Katz - took home £2.15m in pay and bonuses last year. Mahon and Allan accepted £375,000 in bonuses, while Katz declined an award of more than £100,000.