TV Theory: Putting the Show on the Road from Channel 4: Television with a difference? by Stephen Lambert

Channel 4: Television with a difference? was written by Stephen Lambert, who, with experience as a producer for both the BBC in documentaries, and Channel 4 as RDF Media's first director of programs, has inside knowledge on how the channel developed and how it faced competition from the BBC. 

Chapter 4 of this book, titled Putting the Show on the Road, details how Channel 4 developed programming that was diverse and of a wide range of genres for a wider audience. It also shows how these programmes either came from independent sector or syndication, and the argument of treating both these providers of programming as fair and equal. 

The chief executive of Channel 4 between 1981-1987 was Jeremy Isaacs, who supervised the channel's launch by hiring staff and commissioning programmes. Because of the over 200 commissions the channel received from the independent sector, in early 1982, a large portion of Channel 4 programming was provided by them. In the beginning, there were worries of sourcing equipment, but the bigger concern was of finance. 

The independent sector was represented and helped by the Independent Programme Producers Association (IPPA), which was led by chairman Michael Peacock, who had previous experience in television from working for the BBC. To offer support to independent producers in terms of trade, the IPPA set up a Joint Industrial Relations Service with the British Film Producers Association. This led to the 'Specialised Producers Agreement' being created to supervise all independent production being made for Channel 4. 

Like the IPPA, other associations were also created to support and represent specific groups that worked in the independent sector, such as women. The Women's Broadcasting and Film Lobby was established in 1979 from a small group of female media professionals. It worked towards gaining improvements in equality, such as more women having the opportunity to be able to be trained to take a position of power typically occupied in the past only by a man, as well improving the representation of women on screen. However, action was taken to ensure minority groups such as women were given more representation as Isaacs did hire Liz Forgan, who was the editor for the women's page in The Guardian, as a senior commissioning editor who would set up an actuality programme run by women. 

From January 1982, companies were required to pay subscription in order to secure advertising time but their shows would still be treated the same as those from the independent sector, and would have to be commissioned. Before this the IBA (Independent Broadcasting Authority) would fund the channel as the supervisor of commercial television, although, this would eventually be paid back by the companies.

Channel 4 was different to other channels as it calculated the cost of its individual programmes, rather than its total programme output. ITV did not do this and it's five big companies were often criticised for having industrial practices that were too extravagant. Therefore, to be able to compete with the independent producers who were able to remain within Channel 4's £30,000 an hour budget, their practice would have to change. 

Thames television had an over-staffing issue in 1982, which they were able to solve by partnering with Channel 4. This meant they then were responsible for eighty hours of shows during the first year of this partnership, which they agreed to provide at a rate that was 50% below what the companies wanted for the same work. 

However, the companies knew that without their shows, Channel 4 would fail. They could not allow this to happen, as if the channel was not watched they would not get their subscription back through the advertising they paid for, but also their show-creators had desires to showcase their talents. Both these reasons led to the companies compromising, and providing programmes to be broadcast on Channel 4. 

Some of the people Isaacs hired for the channel's editorial team, as well as the names of their positions, were completely new to TV, therefore highlighting how different Channel 4 was, and aimed to be, compared to BBC and ITV. 

The central structure, titled the 'Flow Process', set up by Channel 4 to commission shows enabled them to keep everything within the company, therefore making the process more economical and open to collaboration. The eight stages of this process are:

Commissioning Department

(finds the ideas that can be made into shows)

Acquisition Department

(work out legal, financial terms with show provider)

Programme Finance Committee

(last step for commission's approval)

Finance Department

(gives finance)

Presentation Department

(on-air promotion created for completed programmes)

Transmission Department

(responsible for the programme's technical transmissions)

Shows are then also passed through the Marketing, Business Development, and Administration and Industrial Relations departments. 

As mentioned, these programmes covered a wide range of genres, including:

Actuality:

It was said that if Channel 4 was to broadcast news it would have to be incredibly different from that on ITV and BBC to be of use to the public. However, the news was to be provided by ITN (Independent Television Network), which also provided news for the BBC.

It was also criticised that many news shows only showed audiences the 'whats' of the stories, and not the 'whys', choosing only one way of showing what was happening in the world, meaning the audience were left unaware of anything alternative. 

To counter this, Channel 4 set up its own actuality programmes, such as Friday Alternative, which gave people the opportunity to comment on the headlines from their own point of view. It also extended its news to an hour long show each day, which covers not only the headlines, but also specialty subjects such as the arts and science, which are typically left out in the news on BBC and ITV. 

Film:

Isaacs had a desire to make films of feature length for the channel, which were to be shot on location in order to draw a line between film and television drama. 

A Film on Four slot was also created which featured full length films, written by British screenwriters for the British public, making this one of the most important developments in the British film industry for decades. 

The channel also wished to expand short films and 'art house' films, playing these to a public which had never been exposed to them before, as well as spotlighting work of directors such as Kurosawa and Fassbinder. Explicit scenes will also not be censored and foreign language films subtitled not dubbed, protecting the original works. 

Other fiction based shows are soap operas, recordings from theatres, as well as buying or affordably producing overseas drama series from or in countries that are not typically represented on British TV. 

The purpose of this is to present a wider view, and therefore promote a better understanding of, the world to the British public who may not have the opportunity to visit these countries or be educated about them. 

Educational programmes:

Instead of aiming for the normal audience of children, Channel 4's educational programmes are targeted towards the more neglected audience of adults. These shows wish to stimulate further activity, such as voting at local elections, going to museums, as well as buying books, and joining classes. These shows make up 5% of the channel's time schedule. 

Minority groups:

When providing programming for minorities, Channel 4 takes one of two approaches: programmes are aimed only at that minority, or it is for the general audience, but involves a minorities interests and/or perspectives. 

The first approach is taken when creating programmes for women (as with Liz Forgan), the second with young people, and a mixture of the two is taken with ethnic groups.

Arts and Music:

 One of Channel 4's biggest aims was to show more arts related programmes than other British channels. It wanted to help the arts by affecting projects which could not have happened if the channel had not been there to support them.

For music programmes, the channel wants to cover all genres so that everyone is catered for, whilst also making sure the quality of the filmmaking matches that of the composition and performance being shown.

Documentary:

Factual series or factual shows which are 'one-offs', are considered to be documentaries to Channel 4. To choose which documentaries are broadcast, the channel aim to secure a number of diverse voices, rather than just content, because of the fact that in single documentaries the voice of the creator is the one most heard. 

Sitcoms:

Channel 4 also have aims to show that TV has a history much like that of the cinema, so repeats of old sitcoms, such as Frasier are broadcast. This is also paired with shows from around the world, not before shown on British TV. However, there have not been many light entertainment shows coming from the independent sector, so most of the sitcoms broadcast on Channel 4 will be from the ITV companies. 

Sport:

Because of the amount of sports programmes already broadcast elsewhere, Channel 4 only shows two sports programmes each week, which are an hour in duration. The aim is to instead widen the range of sports shown on British TV by showing American football, and badminton, which are not typically broadcast. 

Grant-Aided Sector:

To further widen the range of broadcasting, Channel 4 also has a regular 'experimental' film slot, but these films are to be shown across the channel's schedule. The channel also gains content from film and video workshops across Britain, although it has to still be ensured that technical standards are kept coherent. 

Community:

These types of programmes involve experts and communities, but are largely controlled by and made for the communities. However, these are broadcast at 15:00pm on Sunday afternoons, outside of prime time, which suggests that, as on other channels, that they are not taken very seriously. 

Media:

Programmes on cinema and TV will show the range of film production techniques and films that will be broadcast on the channel, as well as looking at the changes in technology that are happening in TV production. 

Religion:

Religion has not been given a slot, although the Christian perspective will not be highlighted. The channel aims to interest more than only religious people and Churches. 

Criticism:

Channel 4 has faced criticism regarding how it deals with the independent sector. If independence is to do with who owns the show, then because Channel 4 provides them with a budget these independents are freelancers, who manage their own budget and share the risks of production. Therefore, they should get an equal share in the net revenue, but do not, as it is split with 70% going to Channel 4 and only 30% going to the independent. 

There has also been fears surrounding budgeting and over-spending, which will hopefully decrease as the budgeting team become more experienced. However, most productions have stayed within budget as radio-contact computer terminals are used to track spending both by the independents and channel throughout production, which saves the channel a lot of money. 

Suspicion has also grown that the independent sector and the ITV companies were not being seen as equal by the channel. Although this has been dismissed as from the schedule it can be seen that out of the 60 hours the same amount of shows, or if not slightly more, are commissioned from the independent sector.

References:

Lambert, S. Channel 4: Television with a difference? (1982). London: BFI Publishing. pp. 122-159.