Blog post 2: Channel 4

We researched Channel 4 in order to get a clearer idea of what kind of things its viewers expect. Whether it was more mainstream and similar to channels such as BBC 1 or more alternative. We went about this by going on the Channel 4 website, looking on the Wikipedia page, going on YouTube and watching the channel itself.

The channel 4 Wikipedia page

I learned it was a channel that started in 1982 as a public service broadcaster for alternative media. Owned by Channel Four Television Corporation, a corporation for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

From my own prior knowledge along side research I did of the Channel's scheduling i was able to see the ways in which Channel 4 worked alongside gratification theory.

I could instantly see the importance of people identifying with the channel through the variety of characters and shows on the channel, such as the show Gogglebox which has a range of real life people of all races and genders who almost mirror the viewer themselves as they watch popular TV shows much like the audience does. Almost every show on the channel entertains the audience, especially fictional shows such as Friday Night Dinner or Humans. Despite this Channel 4 shows itself to be a channel largely focused on reality TV and these shows such as The Circle, The Great British Bake Off and originally Big Brother, develop a huge amount of social interaction both on and offline. These shows are also in some ways aspiration, with cooking shows such as The Great British Bake Off or Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast appealing to peoples desire to be able to cook or even eat the food prepared on these shows. Despite this these shows and others on the channel are good at informing and educating viewers on these topics.

The popular social media page of The Circle for Channel 4

From this research into the channel it helped me decide when exactly I would schedule my advert within the Monday-Friday 7-9pm window.

I would schedule my adverts on Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 on E4 as there aren't many very popular shows on Channel 4 itself on these days but on E4 this is between 2 shows which are popular with their youth audience, Hollyoaks and Young Sheldon. On Wednesday and Thursday I will put my advert on at 9pm on Channel 4 as this is when The Undateables and Hunted are on, two very popular shows on the channel; this is prime time on the channel when most of the biggest shows are on. On Friday however I will put my advert on at 8pm; this is earlier meaning people may still be wanting dinner and would be more inclined to order it in on Friday, a very common day for ordering in food. This would also put my ad just before Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast, a food program which may make people want to order in even more.

This was overall very helpful and this helped me realize that the channel has a clear focus on entertainment with it being present in almost every show as a number 1 focus which therefore lead my own project to more so focus on this aspect as well.