Tom Loosemore presentation in Channel 4 Cinema on Wednesday 15th July 2009

1. 4 Innovation for
the public
Tom Loosemore
15th July 2009

2. What is 4iP?
4iP is an innovation fund to stimulate public
service digital media across the UK.
In English, that means supporting great ideas for websites, games
and mobile services which help people improve their lives.

3. 4iP funding
• 4iP is a three year pilot, with Channel 4 investing £20m
• Structural Partners – RDAs committing up to £5m in Scotland, Yorkshire
& West Midlands.
•Strand Partners – Committing over £1m in ‘themed areas’ Arts Council of
England (Digital Arts) NESTA (Innovation)

4. 4iP’s areas of interest
•Digital democracy: new ways to let everyone keep an eye on money
and power
•Hidden gems: helping people discover stuff which could change their
lives
•Amplifying voices: new ways to empower those communities media
couldn’t previously reach.
•Wise crowds: connecting people who need to know stuff with people
who know it already
•Tools to make trouble: developing disruptive media tools, then putting
them in the hands of people that need them most.

5. How do we decide?
• Will it deliver 4’s public purposes?
• Will it stir things up in 4-like fashion?
• Will it meet a user need? Will it scratch an important itch?
• Is it 100% native to digital networks, with its centre of gravity in
participation or collaboration?
• Can it thrive without ongoing financial support from 4iP?
• Can it thrive without cross promotion from linear TV?
• Will it scale well if it attracts a large user base?

6. 4iP principles
Is about this.. But not this…
networks broadcast
participation / collaboration viewing
people audiences
open closed
evolving pre-packaged
less is more more is more
catalysing ongoing support
conversation couch potato

7. Mapumental
mapumental.channel4.com

8. Help Me Investigate
HelpMeInvestigate.com
C o lle c t , M o b ilis e &
Udeconstructing and demystifying investigative journalism
• n c o v e r
• an interactive newspaper which is wholly investigative
• providing the tools and platform for ordinary people to organise,
manage and pursue an investigation - developing knowledge
about the structures around them as they go.
Region: West Midlands
Funding partners: C4 & Screen WM
Business model: Partnership with W h y 4 iP ?
newspaper
• Sourcing the wisdom of the crowd
• Holding those in power accountable
• Providing tools to make trouble

9. AUDIOBOO
Key themes: rethinking journalism, tools to make trouble
C a p t u r in g & s h a r in g
a u d io o n t h e m o v e
• AudioBoo is an iPhone application, website and API
• AUdioBoo allows users to record and share audio from their
mobile phones
• AudioBoo captures the location of the recording making the
recording browsable by location
• The API will allow other sites and services to call recordings by
location or subject
Region: LONDON
Funding partners: NONE
Business model: Software as a
service, premium application W h y 4 iP ?
• Being free to the user, AudioBoo champions alternative voices and
fresh perspectives.
• With a powerful API the service could be used by any number of
websites to stir things up in a 4 like fashion.
• The spoken word is a powerful thing, easily lost. We very rarely
record it, store it or ‘re-use’ it in any way. Online digital web services
like AudioBoo can address this.

10. You Booze You Lose
Key themes: mobile games, health & wealth
W h a t ’ s le f t o f y o u r
liv e r ?
• An iPhone/iTouch game that lets you see what’s
happening now as you drink yourself to death
• Keep track of your alcohol consumption, how much it’s
costing your wallet, waistline and liver
• See how much pure alcohol you consumed this week,
month, year… and see what’ll happen to you later in life
Region: Scotland
if you keep it up
Funding partners: C4, Scottish
• Produced by Digital Goldfish Ltd, Dundee
Screen, Scottish Enterprise
Business model: Download
W h y 4 iP ?
game free in Europe, $0.99
• Fun and engaging way to change people’s lives
R.O.W
• Puts the hardware to work for real, not for gimmicks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiobeeldruis/2352913120/

11. PatientOpinion.org
Key themes: amplifying voices , discoverability, health & wealth
T r ip A d v is o r f o r
h o s p it a l a n d h e a lt h
c a r e s e r v ic e s
• Amplifying patient feedback on local hospitals and
services
• Wisdom of the crowd, helping to improve health
services
Region: Yorkshire
Funding partners: C4
Business model: Selling patient W h y 4 iP ?
feedback to PCT’s
• It can thrive without ongoing financial support from 4iP or TV
promotion
• Champions alternative voices and fresh perspectives
• To inspire change in people's lives
http://flickr.com/photos/robyn-gallagher/1703065142/ • (nicely) making some trouble to help improve

12. SchoolofEverything.com
Key themes: tools to create trouble, discoverability
R e o r g a n is in g
e A platform a informal learning that connects those with
• d u c for t io n
something to teach with those wanting to learn
• 4iP is returning, alongside an enviable line-up of angel
investors and the Young Foundation, to fund a second
seed capital round
• This funding will see the business build revenue
streams and product functionality
Region: London
Funding partners: 4iP, Young
Foundation and assorted W h y 4 iP ?
business angels • Huge potential to disrupt traditional means of accessing
Business model: Equity
learning, using the transparency of the internet to empower
choice
• The platform is underpinned by a management team, board
of directors and business plan geared to growth and

13. TALK ABOUT LOCAL
Key themes: amplifying voices, rethinking journalism
T e a c h in g p e o p le t h e
p o w e r o f s o c ia l
m Aetrainingia that teaches people how to develop a powerful
• d course
online voice for their neighbourhood.
• It’s legacy will be hundreds of independent community sites
across the country, owned, maintained and updated by local
volunteers.It’s an enduring network of online training materials
for publishing online
Region: NATIONAL
Funding partners: YORKSHIRE
UK ONLINE CENTRES W h y 4 iP ?
Business model: Sponsorship • To stimulate local voices: The emphasis of the sites created will be on locality
based websites
• To enhance a sense of place: Local media binds houses together into
communities. Local websites help develop, enhance and maintain a local sense
of place and identity.
• To improve accountability: Giving voices to local activists through local media
holds those with money and power to account.

14. 4iP & UnLtd
Key themes: amplifying voices
R e a c h in g n e w id e a s
a n d t a le n t a t a
‘• Ag r afunded programme t s ’ at least 60 l
jointly s s r o o to support le v e
individuals developing digital media projects in their
communities
• Spanning two years and four themes; the first of which
will be new forms of journalism and civic engagement
Region: England • Combining the digital media expertise of 4iP with
Funding partners: 4iP and UnLtd’s extensive local network to fund ideas that might
UnLtd – The Foundation for
otherwise never see the light of day
Social Entrepreneurs
Business model: Partnership
with public other fund W h y 4 iP ?
• Providing the first break for new digital media talent; giving
them an opportunity to make their voices heard whilst
improving their communities

15. Yoosk
Key themes: amplifying voices , tools to create trouble, journalism
T h e le a d in g o n lin e p la t f o r m f o r t h e p u b lic t o
q u e s t io n a n d r a t e t h o s e w it h p o w e r a n d
in f lu e n c e .
• Working within accountability and e-
democracy sector
• Provides a solution for all public figures
and bodies to engage, and be seen to
engage, with the public they serve.
Region: West Midlands
• Offers individuals the opportunity to ask
Funding partners: C4
direct questions they’d never have the
Business model: Software as a
service to government chance to in person
W h y 4 iP ?
• Digital democracy
• Amplifying voices

16. Festivals Edinburgh
Key themes: amplifying voices , discoverability, mobile games
M a k in g t h e
w o r ld ’ s b ig g e s t a r t s
f e s t iv a l
f• e eand Festivals Edinburghsunite ina call to action,
4iP l a lit t le m a lle r
offering indies a chance to make Edinburgh’s 12
Region: Scotland summer festivals easier to navigate. Starts this Spring.
Funding partners: C4 and • More findable art, comedy, music and theatre
Festivals Edinburgh, Scottish
Screen
Business model: none W h y 4 iP ?
Investment: none • There are too many hidden gems in Edinburgh’s world
famous festivals – this helps find them at the right time, for
the right people, in the right place.
• Opportunities to harness millions of audience opinions to
reveal true talent