Report: C4 mulling free move for FilmFour

Channel 4 is considering dropping the subscription on FilmFour, its only remaining pay TV service, according to the Media Guardian.

The move would see FilmFour's potential audience go from 400,000 households to 15 million households, with basic carriage on Sky, cable and Freeview.

Subscribers currently pay around £7 a month for FilmFour, which also comprises a timeshift channel and a 'popular' movies station called FilmFour Weekly.

The switch - currently being mulled over by chief exec Andy Duncan - would likely herald the introduction of more adverts on the channel, which has traditionally broadcast movies uninterrupted.

Earlier this year the audience share for youth-oriented station E4 doubled after it became a free service and launched on Freeview. C4, which has since launched free-to-air factual channel More4, could house FilmFour in another recently-acquired Freeview slot.