C4 puts IT Crowd online a week before TV broadcast

As part of Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan's commitment to experiment and expand its new-media offering, the broadcaster is putting all 'IT Crowd' episodes on its website a week before they debut on TV.

In addition, FremantleMedia, which owns 'IT Crowd' production company Talkback Thames, is offering additional mobile phone services, including downloadable clips, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage via Channel 4's mobile portal.

The 'IT Crowd' debuted with a double-bill on Channel 4 last Friday to an uninspiring 1.8m viewers, despite heavy on-air promotion and a print ad campaign. An additional 800,000 and 600,000 viewers watched the show on Channel 4 on Saturday.

Channel 4 is expecting the show to gain more viewers through its online offering, as it hopes to attract "a new selection of people" who prefer to watch and download content online.

A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: "This is an innovative and appropriate way of drawing fans to the show."

The series, written and directed by 'Father Ted' and 'Black Books' writer Graham Linehan, features three computer geeks who work in a basement while their colleagues work upstairs in comparatively modern and sophisticated surroundings.

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