Channel 4 1982-2004
Channel 4 was launched on November 2nd 1982, over 20 years after the launch of the first independent television station and designed to produce programming with an alternative remit. Initially the channel was funded by advertising sold by the same ITV regions, thus the ability to play out regional content was technically possible (albeit little used outside of Schools Programming in the late 80s), however this all changed in 1993 when Channel 4 gained full independence to sell their own advertising, adopting a cut down set of macro regions for adverts instead. They broadcast to all of the UK since the introduction of digital services. During the analogue days, Wales was covered by a by a special version of S4C instead which included a mix of programmes timeshifted from Channel 4 mixed in with their Welsh languages shows. In more recent years Channel 4 have diversified launched various channels on digital.
Channel 4 Blocks (1982-1996)
Channel 4 1982
Probably the most famous of all Channel 4's idents. A series of coloured blocks join together to make up a 4. They kept it for over 13 years with minor tweaks to audio, before finally abandoning it in 1996. This version is from 1991, and has the original soundtrack. Thanks to James Hadfield for this.
Channel 4 - WorldWise 1986
Channel 4 Closedown 1989
4-Tel Advert 1989
Channel 4 (American Football) - 1989
Continuity over a static slide from Channel 4, before launching into a special version of the ident for American Football showings. Although the Fourscore notes still plays, it does so over a completely static rendering of the blocks shaped as a player. Some simple breath added at the very end provides the only limited animation.
Channel 4 - 1990
Another variation of the famous coloured blocks ident for Channel 4, complete with the original Fourscore notes. This time the blocks break apart and spin round, before reforming the 4.
Channel 4 Closedown 1991
Channel 4 Closedown - Xmas 1991
Channel 4 - Fourmations - 1993
Channel 4 1995
Channel 4 1995 V2
Channel 4 1995 V3
Channel 4 Closedown - 1995
Channel 4 Connections (1996-1999)
Channel 4 1996
When they finally replaced the coloured blocks, they came up with Connections. 4 circles, in different arrangements, one of which contained the 4. However it proved to be nowhere near as popular as the blocks. Nobody was interested in shots of a man washing his car, or people in a kitchen. Just a shame Channel 5 didn't learn from this mistake!
Channel 4 Christmas 1996
Channel 4 1998
Channel 4 (City - Brown) - 1998
From late 1998, and the 4 circles drop in to view immediately rather than having a segment of unblurred video first.
Channel 4 (City - Turquoise) - 1998
Another city scene, albeit once again mostly seen out of focus as the 4 circles of connections appear immediately without any short video formup.
Channel 4 (Next) - 1998
A next slide from the Connections era on Channel 4, here promoting a change in the schedule.
Channel 4 Lines (1999-2005)
Channel 4 (Red/Yellow) - 1999
Introduced in 1999, the next evolution for Channel 4's presentation involved placing the 4 logo in a right aligned white box, while coloured vertical lines scroll past in the background at differing speeds. Most commonly these would feature colour only, but it also allowed mixing in of background video footage. Red and Yellow are mixed together in this ident.
Channel 4 (Red/Traffic) - 1999
Channel 4 (South Park) - 1999
Channel 4 (Frasier) - 1999
More programme themed lines presentation. Kelsey Grammer, in his Frasier role, talks about his obsession with the number 4. Conveniently, it's also the next show on Channel 4.
Channel 4 (Blue Green) - 1999
Channel 4 (4Later) - 1999
4Later was introduced as Channel 4's overnight strand for a time, after overnight closedowns were dropped, featuring the usual filler mix of cheap imports and low budget movies to fill those dead hours. Presentation during this segment featured a very different ident style to the rest of the day's presentation.
Channel 4 (Purple) - 1999
Revised soundtracks, and some different variations on the lines which included new ways for the Channel 4 logo to animate onscreen were introduced in a small refresh late in 1999. A purple variant here.
Channel 4 (Turquoise) - 2000
As transmitted on the first day of the brand new millennium for Channel 4, a turquoise version here, with an added water feature.
Channel 4 Daytime 2001
Channel 4 Xmas 2000-2003
One of the Christmas versions of Channel 4's idents. Despite tweaks and updates to the normal idents, the same Christmas idents from 2000 were dug out again for 2001, 2002 and 2003 with 2004's idents being left completely unfestive presumably due to the impending relaunch a week later. Nice to see C4 putting a massive budget into Christmas Decoration anyway.
