Which Channel 4 TV show's presenters included Mark Lamarr, Amanda De Cadenet and Terry Christian?
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Channel 4 Mark Lamarr Amanda de Cadenet Terry Christian The Word (TV series)
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster that began transmission on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), the station is now owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation, a public corporation of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport,  which was established in 1990 and came into operation in 1993. With the conversion of the Wenvoe transmitter group in Wales to digital on 31 March 2010, Channel 4 became a UK-wide TV channel for the first time.

The channel was established to provide a fourth television service to the United Kingdom in addition to the licence-funded BBC's two services and the single commercial broadcasting network, ITV.

History

Conception

Before Channel 4 and S4C, Britain had three terrestrial television services: BBC1, BBC2, and ITV. The Broadcasting Act 1980 began the process of adding a fourth, and Channel 4, along with its Welsh counterpart, was formally created by an Act of Parliament in 1982. After some months of test broadcasts, it began scheduled transmissions on 2 November 1982.

The notion of a second commercial broadcaster in the United Kingdom had been around since the inception of ITV in 1954 and its subsequent launch in 1955; the idea of an "ITV2" was long expected and pushed for. Indeed, television sets sold throughout the 1970s and early 1980s had a spare channel called "ITV/IBA 2". Throughout ITV's history and until Channel 4 finally became a reality, a perennial dialogue existed between the GPO, the government, the ITV companies and other interested parties, concerning the form such an expansion of commercial broadcasting would take. It was most likely politics which had the biggest impact in leading to a delay of almost three decades before the second commercial channel became a reality.  With what can crudely be summed up as a clash of ideologies between an expansion of ITV's commercial ethos and a public service approach more akin to the BBC, it was ultimately something of a compromise that eventually led to the formation of Channel 4 as launched in 1982.

One clear benefit of the "late arrival" of the channel was that its frequency allocations at each transmitter had already been arranged in the early 1960s, when the launch of an ITV2 was highly anticipated. This led to very good coverage across most of the country and few problems of interference with other UK-based transmissions; a stark contrast to the problems associated with Channel 5's launch fourteen and a half years later.

Wales

At the time the fourth service was being considered, a movement in Wales lobbied for the creation of dedicated service that would air Welsh-language programmes, then only catered for at 'off peak' times on BBC Wales and HTV. The campaign was taken so seriously by Gwynfor Evans, former president of Plaid Cymru, that he threatened the government with a hunger strike were it not to honour the plans. 

The result was that Channel 4 as seen by the rest of the United Kingdom would be replaced in Wales by Sianel Pedwar Cymru (S4C) (Channel Four Wales). Operated by a specially created authority, S4C would air programmes in Welsh made by HTV, the BBC, or independent companies. Initially limited frequency space meant that Channel 4 could not be broadcast alongside S4C, though some Channel 4 programmes would be aired at less popular times on the Welsh variant, a practice that carried on up until the closure of S4C's analogue transmissions in 2010.

Since then, carriage on digital cable, satellite and digital terrestrial has introduced Channel 4 to Welsh homes where it is now universally available.

Launch and IBA control

The first voice heard on Channel 4's opening day of Tuesday 2 November 1982 was that of continuity announcer Paul Coia, who intoned, "Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to be able to say to you: Welcome to Channel Four", before heading into a montage of clips from its programmes set to the station's signature tune, "Fourscore", written by Lord David Dundas, which would form the basis of the station's jingles for its first decade. The first programme to air on the channel was the teatime game show Countdown, at 16:45 produced by Yorkshire Television; it is still running as of 2016. The first person to be seen on Channel 4 was Richard Whiteley with Ted Moult being the second. The first woman on the channel, contrary to popular belief, was not Carol Vorderman and was a lexicographer only ever identified as Mary. Whiteley opened the show with the words "As the countdown to a brand new channel ends, a brand new countdown begins." On its first day, Channel 4 also broadcast controversial soap opera Brookside, which ran for 21 years.

On its launch, Channel 4 committed itself to providing an alternative to the existing channels, an agenda in part set out by its remit which required the provision of programming to minority groups.

In step with its remit, the channel became well received both by minority groups and the arts and cultural worlds during this period, especially under founding chief executive Jeremy Isaacs, where the channel gained a reputation for programmes on the contemporary arts. Channel 4 co-commissioned Robert Ashley's ground-breaking television opera Perfect Lives,[http://www.robertashley.org/operas/perfectlives.htm Robert Ashley-Perfect Lives] which it premiered over several episodes in 1984. The channel often did not receive mass audiences for much of this period, however, as might be expected for a station focusing on minority interest. Channel 4 for many years had a poorer quality signal compared to other channels.

Channel 4 also began the funding of independent films, such as the Merchant-Ivory docudrama The Courtesans of Bombay, during this time.

In 1992, Channel 4 also faced its first libel case by Jani Allan, a South African journalist, who objected to her representation in the documentary The Leader, His Driver and the Driver's Wife. 

Channel Four Television Corporation

After control of the station passed from the Channel Four Television Company to the Channel Four Television Corporation in 1993, a shift in broadcasting style took place. Instead of aiming for the fringes of society, it began to focus on the edges of the mainstream, and the centre of the mass market itself. It began to show many US programmes in peak viewing time, far more than it had previously done. It gave such shows as Friends and ER their UK premières.

In the early 2000s, Channel 4 began broadcasting reality formats such as Big Brother and obtained the rights to broadcast mass appeal sporting events like cricket and horse racing. This new direction increased ratings and revenues.

In addition, the corporation launched a number of new television channels through its new 4Ventures offshoot, including Film4, At the Races, E4 and More4.

Partially in reaction to its new 'populist' direction, the Communications Act 2003 directed the channel to demonstrate innovation, experimentation and creativity, appeal to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society and to include programmes of an educational nature which exhibit a distinctive character.

On 31 December 2004, Channel 4 launched a new look and new idents in which the logo is disguised as different objects and the 4 can be seen in an angle.

Under the leadership of Freeview founder Andy Duncan, 2005 saw a change of direction for Channel 4's digital channels. Channel 4 made E4 free-to-air on digital terrestrial television, and launched a new free-to-air digital channel called More4. By October, Channel 4 had joined the Freeview consortium.  By July 2006, Film4 had also become a 'free to air' and restarted broadcasting on digital terrestrial.

Venturing into radio broadcasting, 2005 saw Channel 4 purchase 51 per cent of shares in the now defunct Oneword radio station with UBC Media holding on to the remaining shares. New programmes such as the weekly, half-hour The Morning Report news programme were among some of the new content Channel 4 provided for the station, with the name 4Radio being used. As of early 2009, however, Channel 4's future involvement in radio remained uncertain.

On 2 November 2007, the station celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday. It showed the first episode of Countdown, an anniversary Countdown special, as well as a special edition of The Big Fat Quiz and using the original multicoloured 1982–1996 blocks logo on presentation and idents using the Fourscore jingle throughout the day.

In November 2009, Channel 4 launched a week of 3D television, broadcasting selected programmes each night using stereoscopic ColorCode 3D technology. The accompanying 3D glasses were distributed through Sainsbury's supermarkets.[http://www.channel4.com/programmes/3d-week 3D Week – Channel 4]

On 29 September 2015, Channel 4 revamped its presentation for a fifth time; the new branding downplays the "4" logo from most on-air usage, and instead utilizes various variations of the shapes which comprise the logo.  The full logo is still occasionally used, but primarily for print advertising. Four new idents, filmed by Jonathan Glazer, are used to introduce programmes and feature various elements of the blocks within them. A fifth ident, in which hundreds of the blocks form what appears to be a clock face, is used to introduce the Channel 4 News. 

Future 

Channel 4 has raised concerns over how it might finance its public service obligations after digital switch-over. However, some certainty lies in the announcement in April 2006 that Channel 4's digital switch-over costs would be paid for by licence fee revenues. 

On 28 March 2007, Channel 4 announced plans to launch a music channel "4Music" as a joint venture with British media company EMAP which would include carriage on the Freeview platform. On 15 August 2008, 4Music was launched across the UK.[http://www.4music.com/ Music News | New Music Videos | Celebrity News | Music | 4Music] Recently, Channel 4 have announced interest in launching a high-definition version of Film4 on Freeview, to coincide with the launch of Channel 4 HD,   however the fourth HD slot was given to Channel 5 instead.  Channel 4 has since acquired a 50% stake in EMAP's TV business for a reported £28 million. 

Channel 4 was considered for privatisation by the governments of Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair.  As of 2016 the future of the channel is again being looked into by the government, with analysts suggesting several options for the channel's future.

Public service remit

Channel 4 was established with, and continues to hold, a remit of public service obligations which it must fulfil. The remit changes periodically, as dictated by various broadcasting and communications acts, and is regulated by the various authorities Channel 4 has been answerable to; originally the IBA, then the ITC and now Ofcom.

The preamble of the remit as per the Communications Act 2003 states that:

"The public service remit for Channel 4 is the provision of a broad range of high quality and diverse programming which, in particular:
*    demonstrates innovation, experiment and creativity in the form and content of programmes;
*    appeals to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society;
*    makes a significant contribution to meeting the need for the licensed public service channels to include programmes of an educational nature and other programmes of educative value; and
*   exhibits a distinctive character."  

The remit also involves an obligation to provide programming for schools,  and a substantial amount of programming produced outside of Greater London. 

Carriage

Channel 4 was carried from its beginning on analogue terrestrial, which was practically the only means of television broadcast in the United Kingdom at the time. It continued to be broadcast through these means until the changeover to digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom was complete. Since 1998, it has been universally available on digital terrestrial, and the Sky platform (initially encrypted, though encryption was dropped on 14 April 2008 and is now free of charge and available on the Freesat platform) as well as having been available from various times in various areas, on analogue and digital cable networks.

Due to its special status as a public service broadcaster with a specific remit, it is afforded free carriage on the terrestrial platforms,  in contrast with other broadcasters such as ITV.

Channel 4 is also available outside the United Kingdom where it is widely available in Ireland, Switzerland  and Belgium. Here viewers receive the channel either on basic cable subscription services or premium services.

Channel 4 Ulster has been available in large parts of Ireland, especially border counties which have been able to receive terrestrial transmissions from Northern Ireland. Channel 4 Ulster has been carried on Irish cable networks since the station went on the air in 1982. 
S4C has been available as a terrestrial transmission from Wales in southern counties such as Cork, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.

From 4 December 2006 Channel 4 was officially available to Sky viewers in Ireland; some programmes, mainly imports, are not aired on this channel variant, due to Channel 4 not owning the relevant broadcast rights within the country.

Channel 4 allowed Internet users in the United Kingdom to watch Channel 4 live on the Internet. However some programmes (mostly international imports) were not shown and this service no longer exists. Channel 4 is also provided by Virgin Mobile's DAB mobile TV service which has the same restrictions as the Internet live stream had. Channel 4 is also carried by the Internet TV service TVCatchup   and was previously carried by Zattoo until the operator removed the channel from its platform. 

Channel 4 also makes some of its programming available "on demand" via cable and the Internet through All 4.

Funding

During the station's formative years, funding came from the ITV companies in return for their right to sell advertisements in their region on the fourth channel.

Nowadays it pays for itself in much the same way as most privately run commercial stations, i.e. through the sale of on-air advertising, programme sponsorship, and the sale of any programme content and merchandising rights it owns, such as overseas sales and video sales. For example, as of 2012 its total revenues were £925 million with 91% derived from sale of advertising.  It also has the ability to subsidise the main network through any profits made on the corporation's other endeavours, which have in the past included subscription fees from stations such as E4 and Film4 (now no longer subscription services) and its 'video-on-demand' sales. In practice, however, these other activities are loss-making, and are subsidised by the main network. According to Channel 4's last published accounts, for 2005, the extent of this cross-subsidy was some £30 million.[http://www.channel4.com/about4/pdf/2005_C4_Complete.pdf 11419_11419_C4] 

The change in funding came about under the Broadcasting Act 1990 when the new corporation was afforded the ability to fund itself. Originally this arrangement left a 'safety net' guaranteed minimum income should the revenue fall too low, funded by large insurance payments made to the ITV companies. Such a subsidy was never required, however, and these premiums were phased out by the government in 1998. After the link with ITV was cut, the cross-promotion which had existed between ITV and Channel 4 also ended.

In 2007 due to severe funding difficulties, the channel sought government help and was granted a payment of £14 million over a six-year period. The money would have come from the television licence fee and would have been the first time that money from the licence fee had been given to any broadcaster other than the BBC.  The plan was scrapped by The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham, ahead of "broader decisions about the future framework of public service broadcasting". 
The broadcasting regulator Ofcom released their review in January 2009 in which they suggested that Channel 4 would preferably be funded by "partnerships, joint ventures or mergers".[http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/psb2_phase2/statement/ Ofcom | Ofcom's Second Public Service Broadcasting Review: Putting Viewers First]

Programming

Channel 4 is a "publisher-broadcaster", meaning that it commissions or "buys" all of its programming from companies independent of itself, and was the first broadcaster in the United Kingdom to do so on any significant scale; such commissioning is a stipulation which is included in its licence to broadcast.  This had the consequence of starting an industry of production companies that did not have to rely on owning an ITV licence to see their programmes air, though since Channel 4, external commissioning has become regular practise on the numerous stations that have launched since, as well as on the BBC and in ITV (where a quota of 25% minimum of total output has been imposed since the 1990 Broadcasting Act came into force). Ironically, having been the first British broadcaster to completely commission its programmes from third parties, Channel 4 was the last terrestrial broadcaster to outsource its transmission and playout operations (to Red Bee Media), after 25 years in-house. 

The requirement to obtain all content externally is stipulated in its licence. Additionally, Channel 4 also began a trend of owning the copyright and distribution rights of the programmes it aired, in a manner that is similar to the major Hollywood studios' ownership of television programs that they did not directly produce. Thus, although Channel 4 does not produce programmes, many are seen as belonging to it.

It was established with a specific intention of providing programming to groups of minority interests, not catered for by its competitors, which at the time were only the BBC and ITV. 

Channel 4 also pioneered the concept of stranded programming, where seasons of programmes following a common theme would be aired and promoted together. Some would be very specific, and run for a fixed period of time; the 4 Mation season, for example, showed innovative animation. Other, less specific strands, were (and still are) run regularly, such as T4, a strand of programming aimed at teenagers, on weekend mornings (and weekdays during school/college holidays); Friday Night Comedy, a slot where the channel would pioneer its style of comedy commissions, 4Music (now a separate channel) and 4Later, an eclectic collection of offbeat programmes transmitted to a cult audience in the early hours of the morning.

In its earlier years, Red Triangle was the name given to the airing of certain risqué art-house films due to the use of a red triangle DOG in the upper right of the screen, dubbed as being pornographic by many of Channel 4's critics, while general broadcasting of films on the station for many years came under the banner of Film on Four prior to the launch of the FilmFour brand and station in the late 1990s.

The station's critically acclaimed news service, Channel 4 News, is supplied by ITN while its long-standing investigative documentary, Dispatches, causes perennial media attention. It was also one of the first broadcasters to put its name on the introduction or end credits of programmes that it did not produce, a practice that is now widespread.

Most watched programmes 

The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on Channel 4 since launch, based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB,  and archival data published by Channel 4. 

Comedy 

In April 2010, Channel 4 became the first UK broadcaster to adapt the American comedy institution of roasting to British television, with A Comedy Roast.  

In 2010, Channel 4 organised Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a comedy benefit show in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. With over 25 comedians appearing, it billed it as "the biggest live stand up show in United Kingdom history". Filmed live on 30 March in front of 14,000 at The O2 Arena in London, it was broadcast on 5 April.  This has continued to 2016.

Factual and current affairs 

Channel 4 has a strong reputation for history programmes and real-life documentaries. It has also courted controversy, for example by broadcasting live the first public autopsy in the UK for 170 years, carried out by Gunther von Hagens in 2002, or the 2003 one-off stunt Derren Brown Plays Russian Roulette Live.

Its critically acclaimed news service, Channel 4 News, is supplied by ITN whilst its long-standing investigative documentary, Dispatches, attracts perennial media attention.

FourDocs 

FourDocs is an online documentary site provided by Channel 4. It allows viewers to upload their own documentaries to the site for others to view. It focuses on documentaries of between 3 and 5 minutes. [http://www.4docs.org.uk The website] also includes an archive of classic documentaries, interviews with documentary filmmakers and short educational guides to documentary-making. It won a Peabody Award in 2006.  The site also includes a strand for documentaries of under 59 seconds, called 'Microdocs'.

Schools programming 

Channel 4 is obliged to carry schools programming as part of its remit and licence.

ITV Schools on Channel 4 

Since 1957 ITV had produced schools programming, which became an obligation.  In 1987, five years after the station was launched, the IBA afforded ITV free carriage of these programmes during Channel 4's then-unused weekday morning hours. This arrangement allowed the ITV companies to fulfil their obligation to provide schools programming, whilst allowing ITV itself to broadcast regular programs complete with advertisements. During the times in which schools programmes were aired, Channel 4 was effectively operated by ITV, with Central Television providing most of the continuity, and play-out originating from Birmingham. 

Channel 4 Schools/4Learning 

After the restructuring of the station in 1993, ITV's obligations to provide such programming on Channel 4's airtime passed to Channel 4 itself, and the new service became Channel 4 Schools, with the new corporation administering the service and commissioning its programmes, some still from ITV, others from independent producers. 

In March 2008, the 4Leaning interactive new media commission [http://www.slabovia.tv/ slabovia.tv] was launched. [http://www.slabovia.tv/SlabPlayer The Slabplayer] online media player showing TV shows for teenagers was launched on 26 May 2008.

See also: [http://www.channel4learning.com/ Channel 4 Learning site].

The schools programming has always had elements different to its normal presentational package. In 1993, the Channel 4 Schools idents featured famous people in one category, with light shining on them in front of an industrial looking setting supplemented by instrumental calming music. This changed in 1996 with the circles look to numerous children touching the screen, forming circles of information then picked up by other children. The last child would produce the channel 4 logo in the form of three vertical circles, with another in the middle and to the left containing the Channel 4 logo.

A present feature of presentation was a countdown sequence featuring, in 1993 a slide with the programme name, and afterwards an extended sequence matching the channel branding. In 1996, this was an extended ident with timer in top left corner, and in 1999 following the adoption of the squares look, featured a square with timer slowly make its way across the right of the screen with people learning and having fun while doing so passing across the screen. It finished with the Channel 4 logo box on the right of the screen and the name 'Channel 4 Schools' being shown. This was adapted in 2000 when the services name was changed to '4Learning'. In 2001, this was altered to various scenes from classrooms around the world and different parts of school life. The countdown now flips over from the top, right, bottom and left with each second, and ends with four coloured squares, three of which are aligned vertically to the left of the Channel 4 logo, with is contained inside the fourth box. The tag 'Learning' is located directly beneath the logo. The final countdown sequence lasted between 2004 and 2005 and featured a background video of current controversial issues, overlaid with upcoming programming information. the video features people in the style of graffiti enacting the overuse of CCTV cameras, fox hunting, computer viruses and pirate videos, relationships, pollution of the seas and violent lifestyles. Following 2005, no branded section has been used for school programmes.

Film 

Numerous genres of film-making – such as comedy, drama, documentary, adventure/action, romance and horror/thriller – are represented in the channel's schedule. From the launch of Channel 4 until 1998, film presentations on C4 would often be broadcast under the "Film on Four" banner.

 In March 2005, Channel 4 screened the uncut Lars von Trier film The Idiots, which includes unsimulated sexual intercourse, making it the first UK terrestrial channel to do so. The channel had previously screened other films with similar material but censored and with warnings. The broadcast after midnight only raised one complaint and has been taken as an indication of how far audience values have changed since the channel began.

Since 1 November 1998, Channel 4 has had a digital subsidiary channel dedicated to the screening of films. This channel launched as a paid subscription channel under the name "FilmFour", and was relaunched in July 2006 as a free-to-air channel under the current name of "Film4". The Film4 channel carries a wide range of film productions, including acquired and Film4-produced projects. Channel 4's general entertainment channels E4 and More4 also screen feature films at certain points in the schedule as part of their content mix.

Wank Week 

A season of television programmes about masturbation, called Wank Week, was to be broadcast in the United Kingdom by Channel 4 in March 2007.  The first show was about a Masturbate-a-thon, a public mass masturbation event, organised to raise money for the sexual health charity Marie Stopes International.  Another film would have focused on compulsive male masturbators and a third was to feature the sex educator Dr Betty Dodson.

The series came under public attack from senior television figures, and was pulled amid claims of declining editorial standards and controversy over the channel's public service broadcasting credentials. However, the films it was meant to showcase may yet be broadcast by the channel at a later date.

Global warming 

On 8 March 2007 Channel 4 screened the highly controversial documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle. The programme states that global warming is "a lie" and "the biggest scam of modern times". The programme's accuracy has been disputed on multiple points and several commentators have criticised it for being one-sided, noting that the mainstream position on global warming is supported by the scientific academies of the major industrialised nations 
There were 246 complaints to Ofcom as of 25 April 2007,  including the complaints that the programme falsified data.  The programme has been criticised by scientists and scientific organisations and various scientists which participated in the documentary claimed their views had been distorted.

Against Nature: An earlier controversial Channel 4 programme made by Martin Durkin which was also critical of the environmental movement and was charged by the Independent Television Commission of the UK for misrepresenting and distorting the views of interviewees by selective editing.

The Greenhouse Conspiracy: An earlier Channel 4 documentary broadcast on 12 August 1990, as part of the Equinox series, in which similar claims were made. Three of the people interviewed (Lindzen, Michaels and Spencer) were also interviewed in The Great Global Warming Swindle.

Ahmadinejad's Christmas speech 

In the Christmas address of 2008, a Channel 4 tradition since 1993, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a thinly veiled attack on the United States by claiming that Christ would have been against "bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers".

A spokeswoman for the FCO said: “President Ahmadinejad has, during his time in office, made a series of appalling anti-Semitic statements. The British media are rightly free to make their own editorial choices, but this invitation will cause offence and bemusement not just at home but among friendly countries abroad.” 

Crazy About One Direction 

On 15 August 2013, Channel 4 aired a 45-minute documentary on One Direction and their fans dubbed as "Directioners".  Following the airing, fans from all over the world, tweeted in rage against the documentary arguing that this was not them.  

4Talent 

4Talent is an editorial branch of Channel 4's commissioning wing, which co-ordinates Channel 4's various talent development schemes for film, television, radio, new media and other platforms and provides a showcasing platform for new talent.

There are bases in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Belfast, serving editorial hubs known respectively as 4Talent National, 4Talent Central England, 4Talent Scotland and 4Talent Northern Ireland. These four sites include features, profiles and interviews in text, audio and video formats, divided into five zones: TV, Film, Radio, New Media and Extras, which covers other arts such as theatre, music and design. 4Talent also collates networking, showcasing and professional development opportunities, and runs workshops, masterclasses, seminars and showcasing events across the UK.

4Talent has an active presence on social networking site Facebook.

See also [http://4talent.channel4.com/ 4Talent].

4Talent Magazine 

[http://4talent.channel4.com/ 4Talent magazine] is the creative industries magazine from 4Talent, which launched in 2005 (originally titled [http://4talent.channel4.com/ TEN4 magazine]) under the editorship of Dan Jones. 4Talent Magazine is currently edited by Nick Carson. Other staff include deputy editor Catherine Bray and production editor Helen Byrne. The magazine covers rising and established figures of interest in the creative industries, a remit including film, radio, TV, comedy, music, new media and design.

Subjects are usually UK-based, with contributing editors based in Northern Ireland, Scotland, London and Birmingham, but the publication has been known to source international content from Australia, America, continental Europe and the Middle East. The magazine is frequently organised around a theme for the issue, for instance giving half of November 2007's pages over to profiling winners of the annual 4Talent Awards.

An unusual feature of the magazine's credits is the equal prominence given to the names of writers, photographers, designers and illustrators, contradicting standard industry practice of more prominent writer bylines. It is also recognisable for its 'wraparound' covers, which use the front and back as a continuous canvas – often produced by guest artists.

Although 4Talent Magazine is technically a newsstand title, a significant proportion of its readers are subscribers. It started life as a quarterly 100-page title, but has since doubled in size and is now published bi-annually.

Regions

Channel 4 has, since its inception, broadcast identical programmes and continuity throughout the United Kingdom (excluding Wales where it did not operate on analogue transmitters). At launch this made it unique, as both the BBC and ITV had long established traditions of providing regional variations in their programming and announcements between transmitters in different areas of the country (although in the case of BBC2, variations have by and large tended to be limited to national idents as opposed to regional ones). In ITV's case, this was a consequence of its inherent federal structure (see ITV companies). Since the launch of subsequent British television channels, Channel 4 has become typical in its lack of variations of this nature.

A few exceptions exist to this rule for programming and continuity: Ireland has a dedicated variant broadcast on Sky Ireland which omits programmes for which broadcast rights are not held in Ireland. For example, the series Glee is not available on Channel 4 on Sky in Ireland.

Some of Channel 4's schools' programming (1980s/early '90s) were regionalised due to differences in curricula between different regions. 

Part of Channel 4's remit covers the commissioning of programmes from outside London. Channel 4 has a dedicated director of nations and regions, Stuart Cosgrove, who is based in a regional office in Glasgow. As his job title suggests, it is his responsibility to foster relations with independent producers based in areas of the United Kingdom (including Wales) outside London.

Advertising on Channel 4 does contain regular variation: prior to 1993, when ITV was responsible for selling Channel 4's advertising, each regional ITV company would provide the content of advertising breaks, covering the same transmitter area as themselves, and these breaks were often unique to that area. After Channel 4 became responsible for its own advertising, it continued to offer advertisers the ability to target particular audiences and divided its coverage area into six regions: London, South,  Midlands, North, Northern Ireland and Scotland. 

At present, Wales does not have its own advertising region, instead its viewers receive the southern region on digital platforms intentionally broadcast to the area, or the neighbouring region where terrestrial transmissions spill over into Wales. The Republic of Ireland shares its advertising region with Northern Ireland (referred to by Channel 4 as the 'Ulster Macro') with many advertisers selling products for Ireland here.  E4 has an advertising variant for Ireland, although Northern Ireland receives the UK version of E4. The six regions are also carried on satellite, cable and Digital Terrestrial.

Channel 5 and ITV Breakfast use a similar model to Channel 4 for providing their own advertising regions, despite also having a single national output of programming.

Future possibility of regional news

With ITV plc pushing for much looser requirements on the amount of regional news and other programming it is obliged to broadcast in its ITV regions, the idea of Channel 4 taking on a regional news commitment has been considered, with the corporation in talks with Ofcom and ITV over the matter.  Channel 4 believe that a scaling-back of such operations on ITV's part would be detrimental to Channel 4's national news operation, which shares much of its resources with ITV through their shared news contractor ITN. At the same time, Channel 4 also believe that such an additional public service commitment would bode well in on-going negotiations with Ofcom in securing additional funding for its other public service commitments.

Channel 4 HD

Previously, in the summer of 2006, Channel 4 ran a six-month closed trial of HDTV, as part of the wider Freeview HD experiment via the Crystal Palace transmitter to London and parts of the home counties,[http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/ddr/ddr_annexed.pdf Digital Dividend Review Annexes]  including the use of Lost and Desperate Housewives as part of the experiment, as US broadcasters such as ABC already have an HDTV back catalogue.

On 10 December 2007, Channel 4 launched a high definition television simulcast of Channel 4 on Sky's digital satellite platform, after Sky agreed to contribute toward the channel's satellite distribution costs. It was the first full-time high definition channel from a terrestrial UK broadcaster. 

On 31 July 2009, Virgin Media added Channel 4 HD on channel 146 (now on channel 142) as a part of the M pack.  On 25 March 2010 Channel 4 HD appeared on Freeview channel 52 with a placeholding caption, ahead of a commercial launch on 30 March 2010, coinciding with the commercial launch of Freeview HD.   On 19 April 2011, Channel 4 HD was added to Freesat on channel 126.  As a consequence, the channel moved from being free-to-view to free-to-air on satellite during March 2011. With the closure of S4C Clirlun in Wales on 1 December 2012, on Freeview, Channel 4 HD launched in Wales on 2 December 2012. 

The channel carries the same schedule as Channel 4, broadcasting programmes in HD when available, acting as a simulcast. Therefore, SD programming is broadcast upscaled to HD.

On 1 July 2014, Channel 4 +1 HD, a timeshift of Channel 4 HD, launched on Freeview channel 110.

All 4

All 4 is a video on demand service from Channel 4, launched in November 2006 as 4oD. The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4 or from their archives, though some programmes and movies are not available due to rights issues.

Teletext services

4-Tel/FourText

Channel 4 originally licensed an ancillary teletext service to provide schedules, programme information and features. The original service was called 4-Tel, and was produced by Intelfax, a company set up especially for the purpose. It was carried in the 400s on Oracle.  In 1993, with Oracle losing its franchise to Teletext Ltd, 4-Tel found a new home in the 300s, and had its name shown in the header row. Intelfax continued to produce the service  and in 2002 it was renamed FourText.

Teletext on 4

In 2003, Channel 4 awarded Teletext Ltd a ten-year contract to run the channel's ancillary teletext service, named Teletext on 4.  This has now ceased and Teletext is no longer available on Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5.

Awards and nominations

In January 2015, Channel 4 was nominated for the Responsible Media of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards. Mark Lamarr (born Mark Jones, 7 January 1967) is an English comedian, radio DJ, and television presenter.

He was a team captain on Shooting Stars from 1995 to 1997, and hosted Never Mind the Buzzcocks from 1996 to 2005.

Early life

Lamarr was born in the Park South area of Swindon, Wiltshire. He has three elder sisters. His father is Irish. He passed five O-Levels at Park School (renamed Oakfield School) but dropped out of school at 17 and moved to Harrow, London, which was the centre of the early 1980s British rockabilly revival scene. After his poem Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Work was published in 1987, his act developed from poetry to stand-up comedy. He took to performing at London's Comedy Store in 1985, was spotted on the touring circuit for the launch of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast in 1992 and co-presented The Word.

Career

Television

Lamarr first came to the public's attention as a co-presenter of the early 1990s late night variety show The Word. The magazine format of the series allowed for interviews, live music, features and even game shows. The flexible late-night format meant that guests could do just about anything to be controversial. Talking about his TV career to Jo Brown of Cheers Magazine, Lamarr said The Word was:

After leaving The Word, Lamarr was an outside presenter on The Big Breakfast from 1992 to 1996. Between 1995 and 1997 he appeared as a team captain in the surreal panel show Shooting Stars, where he displayed a mixture of dour boredom and contempt towards hosts Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer who, in turn, mocked his "50s throw-back" appearance. Lamarr declined to return for the fourth series in 2002, claiming he did not want to be typecast for appearing on panel shows. He said of his experience on the show:

Lamarr was host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks when the show launched in 1996 and continued in this role for 17 series until 2005. Under Lamarr, the show grew a reputation as a scathing, almost rebellion like stand against the boy bands and pop music that had dominated the music scene since the early '90s, a theme that was kept by his successor. Although Lamarr initially intended to return to Buzzcocks after one series away,  he was ultimately replaced by Simon Amstell from the 19th series. 

The two series of the sitcom 15 Storeys High were co-written by Lamarr with comedian Sean Lock and Martin Trenaman, although Lamarr was credited under his real name, Mark Jones. 

Radio

Lamarr has previously presented shows on BBC GLR, BBC Radio 5 and BBC Radio 1. He also often guest presented the late night BBC Radio 2 show, sitting in for Mark Radcliffe. He hosted the show on the day that John Peel died (28 October 2004). During this time he also had to cope with the BBC moving studios from Birmingham, so his link to Janice Long was often poor.

On 20 July 1998, Lamarr launched a new show on BBC Radio 2 called Shake, Rattle and Roll, where he played tracks from his own sizeable record collection of obscure rock and roll gems. He also presented The Reggae Show series and Mark Lamarr's Alternative '60s, where he presents lesser known tracks from the 1960s.

On 22 April 2006, Lamarr started a new Radio 2 show called God's Jukebox. The show aired from midnight to 3.00am on Saturdays where he played a wide variety of music from the previous 70 years including soul, ska, reggae, country, gospel and rap. He also, with Jo Brand, regularly covered the Jonathan Ross Saturday morning show on Radio 2 when Ross was away. His final God's Jukebox show was broadcast Christmas Eve/Day, 2010. At the end of 2010 Lamarr left Radio 2, claiming the station had lost interest in non-mainstream music.  

Lamarr presented a music show for British Airways on-board listeners as part of their in-flight entertainment.  In this show he presented a mix of rock and roll, blues, reggae, soul and R 'n B.

Post-radio

Lamarr has continued to produce various compilation albums for several record labels, with a focus on lesser-known rock 'n' roll tracks.  He produced a compilation for Vee-Tone Records in 2015. 

Stand-up videos

* Uncensored And Live (17 November 1997) Amanda de Cadenet (born 19 May 1972) is a British photographer, actress and talk show host.

Biography 

De Cadenet is the daughter of Anna and racing car driver Alain de Cadenet. She began her career as a co-presenter for The Word, a late-night Channel 4 magazine show in 1990-1995. She also co-hosted the British television show The Big Breakfast.

Her first marriage was in 1991 to Duran Duran bassist John Taylor with whom she has a daughter, Atlanta.  The following year, de Cadenet moved from the U.K. to Los Angeles. The marriage lasted until 1997.

Upon arrival in L.A., de Cadenet embarked upon a short film career, appearing in Four Rooms (1995), a collaborative film by Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, and Quentin Tarantino; Fall (1997), and Brokedown Palace (1999). Her career then turned to photography. She worked for magazines such as Spin, Jane and Harper’s Bazaar, among others. In 2005, she published a book entitled Rare Birds. Her other celebrity popular culture subjects have included Drew Barrymore, Sofia Coppola, Demi Moore, Olivia Wilde, Mary J. Blige, Keanu Reeves, Beck Hansen, and the members of The Strokes.

In 2006 she married Strokes' guitarist Nick Valensi, with whom she has twins.

In 2011, it was announced that de Cadenet would be the host of a new television interview series called The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet, airing on the Lifetime Channel, with Demi Moore as a co-executive producer.  On the show, de Cadenet has interviewed female guests such as Hillary Clinton, Lady Gaga, Portia de Rossi, Rita Wilson,  Gwyneth Paltrow, Zoe Saldaña and Jane Fonda. 

On 24 July 2014, Lifetime Channel launched a weekly late-night television talk show featuring de Cadenet entitled, Undone with @AmandadeCadenet, which is taped in front of a live studio audience. Terence "Terry" Christian (born 8 May, 1960) is a multi-award winning  TV,  radio presenter and journalist whose credits include  Channel 4's late night Youth Entertainment show The Word and ITV1 moral issues talk show It's My Life. He also presented two series of Turn On Terry with regular guest Anthony H Wilson and numerous other programmes for ITV, MTV, VH1, Channel 4 as well as a variety of different local and national radio programmes on stations including Radio 4, BBC6 Music, Talksport, Century Radio, Key 103, Signal and BBC's Radio Derby and Manchester.

Biography

Early life

Christian was born and grew up in Old Trafford with five brothers and sisters and Irish parents from Dublin: Daniel Christian and Margaret Christian (née Cullen) .   He was educated at St. Alphonsus Primary School, Ayres Road, Old Trafford and St Bede's College, Manchester where one of his closest friends was John Maher who would later find some fame with Buzzcocks. His father was a Transport and General Workers' Union shop steward at Esso in Trafford Park. He attended Thames Polytechnic in London  and has a Higher National Diploma in Applied Biology specialising in microbiology.

He first appeared on TV in 1981 with other unemployed youngsters from inner city areas of Manchester on Devil's Advocate, a Granada Television programme made for ITV and presented by Gus Macdonald. The show was made in reaction to the Scarman report which looked into the causes of that summer's riots in Moss Side in Manchester, Toxteth in Liverpool, Brixton in London, Handsworth in Birmingham and St Pauls in Bristol. Amongst others on Devil's Advocate was Johnny Marr of the Smiths. As a result of his appearances on the programme, Christian was offered his own radio show on BBC Radio Derby called Barbed Wireless. 

Radio

Christian worked for BBC Radio Derby from 1982-88 presenting Barbed Wireless and also from 1986-88 presented WPFM on Radio 4, with his Barbed Wireless programme winning Sony Awards in the Best specialist music category in 1985 and 1986 and contributed regularly to Saturday Live on BBC Radio 1. from 1986 to 1988 he presented Radio 4's Youth programme Wavelength, which became Wavelength Plus or WPFM.

He managed a twelve-piece reggae band, from the Nottingham/Derby area, Junior C Reaction, who received airplay on John Peel and Janice Long's shows on BBC Radio 1 for their first independent release on Centurion Records, a double A Side, "Cry Jahoviah", and "Love & Emotion". They were signed to Cooltempo, a Chrysalis subsidiary, and enjoyed a modicum of success with their first release, a version of the Delroy Wilson classic, "'Better Must Come", which was C-listed on Radio One and Capital Radio at the time as well as playing a live session on Radio One's Saturday Live. Terry also promoted regular gigs around the Derby and Nottingham area, promoting concerts by Pop Will Eat Itself, the Jazz Defektors, Nico (of the Velvet Underground fame), Misty in Roots, the Naturalites, the Fall, the Beyond, the Meteors, U.K. Subs, the Cocteau Twins and Hugh Masekela and regular house nights at Derby's Twentieth Century club, where the resident Saturday night DJ was Graeme Park, who left to join Mike Pickering at the Hacienda Nude Night.

In late 1988, he joined Piccadilly Radio's Key 103 FM, presenting from 6.00pm-9.00pm on weekday evenings, and 2.00pm-5.00pm on Sunday afternoon where he was given a free hand and created a show which would broadcast and promote what would later be dubbed the 'Madchester Scene' to a mainstream young audience in the Manchester area, playing (the Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays, the Inspiral Carpets and 808 State), as well as a mixture of classics by everyone from the Beatles, Love, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, classic soul and funk, plus Manchester favourites like the Buzzcocks, the Smiths, the Fall, New Order, Joy Division, A Guy Called Gerald and the Chameleons. Christian also wrote "The Word" page in the Manchester Evening News from September 1989, a page dedicated to the Manchester music scene, and gave the first press to a host of Manchester luminaries including the Charlatans, Oasis, the Doves (then called Sub Sub) and M People.

Christian has presented on every radio station in the Manchester area and the Northwest, including Century Radio where he presented a syndicated evening show from 7.00pm-10.00pm across the network as well as the breakfast and drive time show on BBC Radio Manchester, where he also presented and originated the Manchester Music Show back in 2002, featuring new bands from the Manchester area mixed up with Manchester classics from every era, a precursor to the BBC Introducing series - The Manchester Music show gave first sessions and airplay to bands including Cherry Ghost Liam Fray The Courteeners Liam Frost Nine Black Alps Delphic and poet Mike Garry. He was also the presenter of The Final Whistle on talkSPORT every Saturday between 5.00pm and 8.00pm from 2006 until 2008, alongside ex-footballer Micky Quinn 

Christian joined Stockport-based radio station Imagine FM (104.9 fm) in March 2011.  where he still show cases young bands from Manchester including first radio plays for Blossoms Jun Tzu Mutineers The Marivaux  and poets JB Barrington and Thick Richard Imagine was formerly known as KFM, and Christian once presented a nightly show on the old station alongside Jon Ronson, Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash.

Television

In 1990, with the explosion of the Madchester scene, Christian was recruited to host the controversial Channel 4 youth show The Word, named after his column in the Manchester Evening News, and based on the format of his  music magazine radio shows. The show was a mixture of pop music and teen attitude, and attracted up to a 49% audience share in its Friday night slot. The Word hosted many groups playing live for the first time on British TV, including Oasis, Nirvana, Snoop Dogg, Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine. Christian remained its only continuous presenter until it finished its run in 1995.

He went on to present Carlton Television's The Big City, Sky 1's pop music show The Hitmix, and The Football Show for Tyne Tees Television. He presented Turn on Terry for ITV with regular guest Tony Wilson and six series of It's My Life (2003–2009) produced by former World in Action editor and Tony Wilson's So It Goes Series producer Geoff Moore for ITV, which was nominated for two St. Martin's Trust Awards.

He has starred as himself in The Cribs' video for the stand-alone single "You're Gonna Lose Us", which was made to look like an episode of The Word; and also played the part of Ross Peagrum, despotic TV presenter, in series 2 and 4 of the popular BBC TV drama series Cutting It, as well appearing as a guest on numerous TV shows in the UK and Ireland. During the '90s, Terry was also regularly seen as a presenter on MTV Europe. In January 2009 he entered as a contestant on the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother alongside Verne Troyer, La Toya Jackson, Ulrika Jonsson, Coolio and Mutya Buena, finishing in second place. Christian has recently completed hosting series six of ITV's youth discussion show It's My Life, made by Manchester-based independent Moore Television. The programme is filmed at Granada Television in Manchester. Special guests on this series include Hazel Blears MP, Andy Burnham Richard Dawkins, and Helen Newlove, widow of Garry Newlove.

Christian set up his own production company, Gigwise Productions in April 2010 and is working on documentaries about legendary Manchester photographer Harry Goodwin and Britain's first black footballer Arthur Wharton.

He is in demand as a host for corporate events and as a guest on numerous TV shows including Come Dine with Me, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Would I Lie to You?. He is a regular guest on a variety of discussion shows on Radio 5 Live, Radio 4 and BBC Two's The Culture Show.

As Christian is an avid Manchester United fan, he frequently appears on the Manchester United channel MUTV, has his own show, Terry Christian's Sunday Worship, and regularly hosts the Live from the Red Cafe show. He is a regular panellist on topical debate chat show The Wright Stuff. He also appeared in 4 episodes of BBC Drama Series Cutting It playing the part of TV Host, Ross Peagrumand  played the part of a debauched Catholic priest in the Mad theatre company's production of Angels with Manky Faces, based loosely on the factual book by Andrew Davies, Gangs of Manchester and has also appeared in recent film Selling Yourself, April 2011. Terry has recently delved into the realm of Stand Up Comedy with his new show, Naked Confessions of a Recovering Catholic - which has been featured on various radio shows and on Granada Reports and other local TV stations. So far the reviews have been extremely positive, as has the audience reaction.  

Writing

Terry Christian has been writing articles and columns for newspapers since 1983 and is  currently a regular columnist in the Sunday People and has also had regular columns in The Daily Sport, Manchester Evening News and The Derby Evening Telegraph and has written numerous articles and regular columns for newspapers and magazines, including the Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Daily Express, Manchester Evening News, The Observer, The Times, The Sun, Rolling Stone magazine, New York Rocker, The Guardian and The Sunday Times, and  a columns in Northern Life magazine. He has also written three books: Brothers - from Childhood to Oasis (Virgin Publishers), Reds in the Hood (André Deutsch 1999) and My Word, a look at the world of television in the 1990s, was published by Orion Publishing in June 2007 to favourable reviews, and came out in paperback in May 2008. The Word was a 1990s Channel 4 television programme in the United Kingdom. 

Format

Its presenters included Mancunian radio presenter Terry Christian, comedian Mark Lamarr, Dani Behr, Katie Puckrik, Jasmine Dotiwala, Alan Connor, Amanda de Cadenet and "Huffty".   Originally broadcast in the old Tube time slot of 6 pm Friday evenings, The Words main live show was shifted to a late-night timeslot from 9 November 1990, with a compilation sister show fronted by Mark Lamarr in the week. The magazine format allowed for interviews, live music, features and even game shows. The flexible late-night format meant that guests could do just about anything to be controversial.

There was also an 'I'll do anything to be on television' section called "The Hopefuls" in which people ate worms, bathed in maggots, licked sweat off fat people, intimately kissed old people, and did generally repulsive things in order to get featured on the programme.

Production

The show was the brainchild of Charlie Parsons and was originally produced for series 1 and 2 by the production company 24 Hour Productions, which later became Planet 24.

The first series of the show was broadcast live (with no delay) originally from London Studios in the LWT building on the South Bank and then from Limehouse Studios, Wembley (1991–1992). When those studios closed the show moved to Teddington Studios. 

Paul Ross was the series editor on series 3 and 4, and became executive producer for series 5. Director Martin Cairns directed many of the stunt film clips for which the programmes became famous. Some receiving warnings on content from C4. Jo Whiley worked as a researcher–band booker and is credited as having given Nirvana their historic and notorious first TV appearance. 

The programme ran for five series from 1990 to 1995. From the start, there was considerable tabloid backlash against the show. In mid 2000, Channel 4 screened a short-running compilation series titled "Best of The Word", which mostly featured music performances and was presented by Terry Christian.

Tango sponsored the show in 1994.

Notable moments

*The first British Network airing of Madonna's "Justify My Love" Music Video. 
* Nirvana's international television debut performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", with Kurt Cobain declaring Courtney Love to be "the best fuck in the world."
* Singer/guitarist Donita Sparks of L7 removing her jeans and underwear during a performance, the full-frontal nudity displayed when she drops her guitar being briefly broadcast. The Word's audience had got off lightly; earlier in the year, Sparks had thrown her used tampon into the concert audience at the Reading Festival.
* The TV debut of Oasis playing "Supersonic".
* Rage Against the Machine playing "Killing in the Name", resulting in a stage invasion with guitarist Tom Morello and singer Zack de la Rocha both being stopped from performing by the chaotic crowd.
* Lynne Perrie, best known for her role as Ivy Tilsley in Coronation Street, performing a tuneless and embarrassing rendition of the Gloria Gaynor classic "I Will Survive".
* A very drunk Oliver Reed giving a barely coherent interview before performing "Wild Thing" by The Troggs with Ned's Atomic Dustbin."
* Shabba Ranks advocating crucifixion of homosexuals, which received universal condemnation including from presenter Mark Lamarr,  who responded "that's absolute crap and you know it".
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