h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Correct, it does have a slice of the licence fee and as such has to provide some puclic service style broadcasting as does the Beeb and its charter.

The slice of the licence fee was also to allow C4 to do edgier programmes that advertisers may not go for any which would require other monies to fund.

The fact that almost all their output is common-denominator chav-tastic stuff is just what advertisers want.

Thats a bit extreme - go look at the weekly scehdule, its actually damn goo. Fair enough they go through good and bad patches in programming, but in the last 3 months I think they've done really well.

Its a bit like saying all BBC 3 does is comedy, or all BBC 4 does is educated entertainment (randomly specific documentaries) when the truth is far from that.

So I take it we're willing to sacrifice Countdown (a staple of many people's viewing habits), the fantastic Shameless and such recent hits as Green Wing to the altar of "Channel 4's chavtastic and crap" because of Big Brother?

If you don't like, don't watch, I don't. The real problem is e4. That seems to be constant Friends repeats and hours of *shudder* Russell Brand.

And ER, and Ugly Betty. Both of which I quite like - although I suppose these are also repeated on C4.

I said *almost* all. You have mentioned the good ones.

You also missed: My Name Is Earl. Possibly one of the most feelgood and weirdly moral programmes on TV.

Shameless: a programme that revels in the same behaviour as those on CBB and BB that we have seen recently...very well observed and acted though.

Not forgetting Dispatches - investigative journalism showing things the Govt really don't want us to see.

The Mark Thomas Comedy Product, Bremner Bird and Fortune. Channel4 did a good job with the cricket. Then theres the films it supports the making of; "My beautiful laundrette", "trainspotting" and (I think) "a private function" and the films it runs which probably wouldnt see the light of day on other terrestrial channels.

As with some researchers and a certain religion it is easy to point at the worst bits and say that's all Channel 4 does whilst ignoreing the many fantastic things that get less press and conversatonal attention.

If nothin else Father Ted makes the whole thing good and bad worth keeping.

"These are small, those are far away"

I definitely prefer Channel 4 to ITV and Five.. I can barely think of anything worth watching on either of those, yet as others have mentioned Channel 4 has some great stuff every now and then... while Big Brother is on - well, there's always the net!

So, it seems we agree that Channel 4 is not in decline and that many people find it interesting, entertaining and informative.

I'll agree to that SWL.

Let's see if Blicky can go against his principles

As long as they keep up the excellent short film seasons they do (which one day I intend to contribute to, and balls to youtube), however late at night, I'll have time for C4; especially now on the back of ITV and C5's ugly, ugly hunt the thimble shows. There is still an opportunity there for people who aspire to be famous on their own merit, and as long as that's the case they can carry on with How Clean Is Your Urethra or whatever.

http://www.channel4.com/film/video/short_films.html

Strictly Lady Sumo starts tomorrow night.

It's reality TV. It's channel 4. Not much I can add to that really.

Deb

looks like no, Blicky cannot go against his principles.

If you have been following the thread I have been saying that all the way through, but I'll confirm it for others too lazy to read the baclog or too stupid to understand what was abundantly clear in my previous posts.

I think channel4 is doing ok.

Hi Arnie,

Nor admit when he got something wrong..........

Thats a gift which comes with age, and thus a lifetime of getting things wrong - and having to apologise for it!

Novo

Evening all,

So, did Shilpa "win"? or was she the winner as a result of the programme editorial action whipping up a storm?

Does anyone know the number of votes cast?

Bear in mind I haven't seen anything except the clips and JG on TV , so the question is born of ignorance, and sceptisism.

Novo

I think C4 news is head and shoulders above the BBC news.

http://www.channel4.com/news/

And yes Novo, Shilpa did 'win' and win. Aren't all questions are born of ignorance except rhetorical questions. As for scepticism, can't help you there........ I loathe scepticism. Now irony, that's more my

Neat post Fanny,

Of course all questions other than rhetorical are born of ignorance. I tend to agree with the sceptisim bit, but one problem on HooToo is that you cannot separate a "Devils Advocate" question from a rhetorical one - at least not at first!. Irony, now there'ss a thing.........

Novo

I find in real life, some people can't tell if I'm being genuine or subtly sarcastic, though that's more likely to happen when I'm actually being genuine, or when I'm not sure myself.