Blog Post 2: Channel 4

I researched Channel 4 to learn more about the medium and programming my adverts will be broadcast on. I also wanted to know the type of potential audience for my advert and the best time slots for my adverts to be shown in. 

The sources used were;

Channel 4

All 4

Wikipedia

TV Guide 

Marketing Weekly Magazine

Channel 4 is a British television broadcaster in the UK and Ireland that began transmission on 2nd November 1982. Channel 4 was launched to give variety to British TV along with ITV to stop the TV monopoly held by the BBC. Channel 4 was established to voice minorities and people who are culturally different - it has gained a reputation for being trendy and alternative - whereas BBC is aimed more at families and a traditional family entertainment. It is well known for its recognisable and unchanged logo of nine differently shaped locks that create a number 4. 

Channel 4 Idents

Channel 4 has a target audience of 16-34 year-olds due to their programming content and the brand has branched out to expand their target audience. E4, for example, has a young target audience and the TV schedule caters for this audience to ensure satisfaction and loyalty to the channel. The channel 4 brand is now a parent company for subsidiary channels like E4, Film 4, All 4. These channels are more niche and each attracts a specific, niche target audience.

The End of the F***ing World

 Channel 4 and it's subsidiaries premiere new directors such as Johnathan Entwistle who directed the British Academy Nominated series The End Of The F***ing World. They also bring USA programs to England such as Friends and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 

Channel 4 uses non-offensive comedy and often the advertising broadcast during commercial breaks correlate with the type of program broadcast. For example, The Great British Bake Off has been sponsored by Lyle's Golden Syrup, Dr. Oetker and Amazon - who advertised baking related scenarios with the new Amazon Alexa. This targetted advertising is more successful at tapping into the correct target audience watching the program and unites the brand and consumer through the common interest of the program.

Channel 4 is owned by the 'Channel 4 Television Company', they are overseen by the 'Department for Culture, Media and Sport' who are headed up by the Government. Therefore Channel 4 is indirectly a Public Service Broadcaster. They used to have public funding but are now self-funded by the use of advertising, sponsorship and sales of shows to other companies such as Netflix. 

Channel 4 has a Public Service Remit which they have to adhere to, part of it being: 

to represent minorities and different cultures,
 Educate, Entertain, Inform,
challenge the status quo,
be distinctive,
nurture new and existing talent,
support UK broadcasting,
 be innovative,
 stimulate public debate on contemporary issues,
 inspire change. 

Therefore these are the brand's main values and aim over the brand and subsidiary channels.

Hollyoaks has a 16-24 target audience with an average of 3-7 million viewers every time it's on air. It has strong youth-related storylines, is aired every weekday and finishes at 7pm - the starting time for my advert placement. To target my desired audience and fulfill the brief, I would want to place my adverts after this program everyday to ensure my target audience has an opportunity to see my adverts, giving my brand the best possible exposure with the target audience. The Great British Bake Off is aired from 8pm - 9:15pm on Tuesday, averaging 5.7 million to 7.5 million viewers for the final. As my ending time for advert placement is 9pm, I would want to place my adverts in the 4 commercial breaks from 8pm -9pm every Tuesday. This would also give my advert good exposure to a large number of my target audience.

This research was beneficial to my project to understand the core values of Channel 4, the viewer demographic, the type of programming broadcast and how the channel operates. I also identified prospective time slots for my adverts to broadcast, with a high number of viewers and good exposure to my target audience. This must be kept in mind while planning, filming and editing my advert to make sure it stays in line with Channel 4 values and adheres to their public service remit.