2 minutes with: Sarah Smith Presenter, More4News
Channel 4 recently launched More4, with More4 News on at 8pm every weekday. At whom is it aimed?
So is it the same as Channel 4 News?
Not entirely – around a third of the content is original. We try to examine the day's stories in a different and often challenging way, presenting arguments viewers may not have heard before.
And you have different personnel.
Yes, we have two reporters who make films for us, and we enlist commentators or experts to front films, approaching stories from their own perspective. We also interview experts in the studio who you will not have seen on Channel 4 News.
Is it all 'hard' news?
It is all current, but we do some features. For example, last night we covered China. The news hook was that Gordon Brown is flying out there to meet the finance minister, but the issue covered – China's rising financial importance – is ongoing.
How can PROs help?
We are interested in fresh, different opinions. If PROs are planning a book launch or a lecture, giving a fresh argument about a current debate, we would love to hear about it a couple of weeks in advance and have the author on the programme first. Often when debates are coming up we wonder who we can contact for less mainstream opinions – it might be someone who is caught up in a story, or an expert.
When is it best to contact you?
Via email, ideally in advance as it can take a few days to set up a film. Our team is in from 9.30am Monday to Friday, and editors do check emails. But for breaking news, phoning may be better. After 5pm – we broadcast a quick bulletin at 6pm and news at 8pm – we definitely cannot talk.
