Channel 4 : the early years and the Jeremy Isaacs legacy / Dorothy Hobson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hobson, Dorothy, 1942-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Isaacs, Jeremy, 1932-.

Isaacs, Jeremy.

Channel Four (Great Britain)--History.

Channel Four (Great Britain).

Television broadcasting--Great Britain--History.

Television broadcasting.

History.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

xii, 217 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : I. B. Tauris, 2008.

Summary:

On 2 November 1982, Channel 4 burst onto British television screens. Charged by Parliament to be innovative experimental and educational, the new channel had to attract new audiences and make a space for new voices. Did it fulfil its brief? Published on Channel 4's twenty-fifth birthday, this book tells the story of its early years under Jeremy Isaacs, its inspirational and fundamental - first Chief Executive. It also assesses the legacy of the channel and asks: has it changed the nature of British television, and has the enfant terrible grown up, or is it still a youthful rebel?

Dorothy Hobson had unique access to Channel 4 and the team involved in developing the channel over its foundation years. The ITV companies and fledgling independent producers are also part of this story. Accessibly written, her book uses the words of those involved and vividly reviews the channel's successes, problems and adversities, as well as audiences' and press responses to television's new baby and its programmes.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Birth of the Channel 1

Chapter 2 Television's New Baby - The First Three Months are the Worst 23

Chapter 3 The Players - Inside the Channel 1. Commissioning Editors 53

Chapter 4 The Players - Inside the Channel 2. Managing Creativity 77

Chapter 5 The Players - Outside Channel 4 and the ITV Companies: Whose Baby? 93

Chapter 6 A Kaleidoscope of Programmes 103

Chapter 7 Channel 4 and Its Audience 133

Chapter 8 1987 - A Year of Change 161

Chapter 9 Jeremy Isaacs' Legacy and Channel 4 Today 189.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781845116132

1845116135

OCLC:

154703639