What's This Channel 4?
Episode 1

Aims

This first episode in the series focuses on one day in the life of Channel 4. The production of four contrasting programmes is closely followed in order to see how they are made and transmitted. The programmes are: 'RI:SE', the Channel 4 breakfast show; a documentary produced by The Time Team called 'The Big Dig'; 'Channel 4 News' and the hit reality TV show, 'Big Brother'. As all these programmes have a 'live' element, there is a concentration on the last minute coordination and planning skills of producers, floor managers, editors, production controllers and continuity announcers as they 'race against time' to get programmes on air.

Outline

As we go through the day we see different stages of the production process in each of the programmes. At 'RI:SE' the producer attempts to book a celebrity guest. At 'The Big Dig' the series producer strives to coordinate material shot in three locations and broadcast by satellite. At 'Big Brother' the production team get ready to broadcast a live 'eviction special'. At ITN we see the morning editorial meeting where the stories are selected for the afternoon and evening news. As the day goes on, pressure builds as deadlines approach. We look behind the scenes at Channel 4 where production controllers and continuity announcers work to make broadcasting the schedule smooth and seamless.

There is high drama in the ITN news studio as Alaistair Campbell, the government press officer, turns up unexpectedly for an interview with Jon Snow. The episode ends with the excitement of the 'Big Brother' eviction.

Curriculum Relevance

This series examines the role of a national media institution in the production of media texts for a range of media audiences. For those who wish to encourage students to engage with institutional case studies, this series and the accompanying website should provide a range of up-to-date and stimulating material. This programme should be generally useful to the vast majority of media students who are studying the media industries or television production on a GCSE, GCE, GNVQ, VCE or BTEC National course in England, Standard Grade, National Qualifications (Intermediate, Higher, Advanced Higher), HNC or HND in Scotland. There are sections of special interest for those who are looking specifically at the British TV Industry and broadcasting organisations, newsgathering and news values, television production techniques or careers in the media. The focus on working to deadline and using new technology will aid students working on video or moving image production coursework. The audience issues of continuity and scheduling are covered as well as a range of contemporary TV genres.

Background

Whilst most people understand the difference between 'purely commercial' broadcasters such as Sky and the 'purely public service' BBC, hybrid institutions such as Channel 4 offer an illuminating case study of the institutional and ideological shifts in the media industry over the last three decades.

Channel 4 attempts to balance the competing requirements of minority and mass audiences, regulation and innovation, commercialism and public service.

It may seem that Channel 4 is not a significant 'owner' in the sense that media conglomerates such as AOL-TimeWarner or News International are. This however misses the point that Channel 4 as a 'distributor' finances a significant 'supply chain' and is also a 'marketable brand'. Added to this, Channel 4 has control and ownership of copyright. As the narrator states in this opening episode, Channel 4 is 'the hub of the wheel' in the production process.

Channel Four makes none of its programmes in-house. Instead, it either acquires them ready-made from other broadcasters or commissions them from independent production companies. In 2002 Channel 4 used 321 production companies and obtained 78% of its peak-time programming from the independent sector.

The commissioning process is centred round a team of commissioning editors, each addressing a specific area of programming or audience and working in eight departments under the overall control of the Director of Television, Kevin Lygo.

This commissioning system means that in principle even the smallest production company can get a major commission, provided the Channel wants the idea and has confidence in the producer and the people they hire. The Channel 4 commissioning system has encouraged the growth of a large and diverse independent sector, which now makes programmes for all the UK's broadcasters.

Channel 4 and other broadcasters use the 'full funding model' to commission programmes. This means that the production costs are paid up-front. The system enables the independent producer to receive a modest profit, but without having to take a financial risk.

Small independent production companies (of which there are over 1000 in the UK) have had a good record of making excellent low-budget innovative and creative one-offs. Where a programme is big-budget or needs (risky) heavy investment over a number of years, however, the 'full funding model' works less well. A larger media organisation is able to wait for profits, write off failures and exploit intellectual property rights more effectively.

The production companies featured in this episode are representative of the full range of independent production. At one end of the spectrum is Wildfire, the producers of 'The Time Team', who are the kind of 'passionate specialists' that Channel 4's commissioning process has supported throughout its history, at the other end, Endemol, maker of 'Big Brother' is so large that it is no longer technically an independent.

This programme should give media students an insight into the industry that they might one day enter. The fact that Channel 4 broadcasts a very high percentage of their favourite programmes and has pioneered many of their favourite TV genres will also be appreciated.

Activities

For those interested in Media Careers, the programme offers insights into the day-to-day reality of a number of jobs. As a follow-up, teachers might ask students to research the work covered by one or more of the roles featured in this episode. The 'Skills for Media' website contains some detailed job descriptions and the 'What's This Channel 4?' site has video extracts of interviews with a number of the professionals featured in the series.

The episode is also a good introduction to the realities of the 'flow' of scheduling and continuity. The 'What's This Channel 4?' site has an interactive scheduling exercise that can be incorporated into a fuller exploration of scheduling for an audience.

The episode can be used to introduce the contingencies of newsgathering and the operation of news values. On the 'What's This Channel 4?' website there is a 'News Simulation' in which students can construct their own news bulletin. This simulation can be run as a whole-class exercise for those with access to a networked laptop PC and a data projector or an interactive whiteboard. The exercise can also be run with groups of two or three students around a networked desktop PC.

For those who are interested in encouraging research into commissioning and how independent production companies operate, the programme features a number of companies that can be examined in more detail via their websites. The 'What's This Channel 4?' site provides further information.

Finally, students might wish to analyse the TV programmes featured in this series as media texts in their own right, or as part of a TV genre. Big Brother is a particularly popular study. The 'What's This Channel 4?' site contains a useful interactive 'compliance exercise' that can be used to explore the ethics of 'Reality TV'. The Channel 4 and production company websites also contain useful information.

Links

This web page contains links to other websites that are neither controlled nor maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.

AVAILABLE LIGHT
www.available-light.co.uk

BECTU/SKILLS FOR MEDIA
www.skillsformedia.com

ENDEMOL
www.endemoluk.com

PRINCESS PRODUCTIONS
www.princessuk.com