Key Quetions Homework- Channel 4

Key Questions!

- There is some similarities between the early Channel 4 and an independent film production company, as they both have very simplistic camera work and it is always mainly filmed as a documentary, also they both aim to appeal to a diverse society. Channel 4 and an independent film production company both have a niche target audience, as they both have controversial themes that not many people enjoy. Also their camerawork is unconventional which makes it hard to watch, they dont always stick to the camera rules.

- In 1993 Channel 4 moved to target a more mainstream audience, this affected channel 4's achievement and assignment decisions, as they had to think about having programmes that appealed to a bigger audience and had to stray from their original remit. During this time channel 4 gained control of its own advertising sells. They started to show programmes like Friends and ER. These appealed to a mainstream audience, and had a different design to what they had before for example My beautiful laundrette, and mini pops.

-Channel 4 has lead major originality in british television, as channel 4 first took the risk to have contraverisal themes and have a completely different ideas to other territistial channels. In 1987 Channel 4 began its "Dispatches", which is well known to tactle difficult and contraversial material. By doing this, it opened doors for other channels to produce more difficult themed programmes. Therefore channel 4 has lead originality in British television.

- As Channel 4 began to target a mainstream audience, it also started to stray from it orgianl remit, as a public service broadcaster to showcase innovation and diversity in television. It has started to become just like another broadcaster on television. As showing programmes like Friends and ER between 1993-1999, made it stray from its ethos. Friends and ER, are programmes that a bigger audience enjoy watching, due to its comedy and not many serious topics are shown on the programmes. Also in 2000, channel 4 showed Big Brother. This was the channels most successful programme ever, with 10 million viewers for the first few series. Programmes like this have no value to people apart from providing entertainment, it has no educational factors or have anything that is controversial that is similar to how channel 4 was in the early years. In the beginning channel 4 had individuality and was different however now, it has no value and has not got the same effect as it did in the beginning.

-The channel 4 factual programming today has not got the same effect as it did 25 years ago, as Now it does not deal with the issues in a more serious matter as they are delicate, controversial themes, however 25 years ago, it was dealt more seriously and people was educated much more back then.

- One can argue that channel 4 has some elements that it still maintains its original remit, for example it still has some educational programmes that tackle difficult themes, and it also "appeals to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society". Furthermore, it has a programme (Big brother) from Europe, which is part of their remit.

- Channel 4's ownership of film 4 production is an example of vertical integration as Film 4 Productions, produces the film, and channel 4 Distributes it. The parent company (Channel 4) owns multiple companies (Film 4 Productions) across different stages.