Sacked ITV boss attacks "downmarket" Channel 4

Regardless of the fact he appears to be stood in a glass house with a handful of stones, there are some salient points here, Channel 4 has become very mainstream and there is no doubt a debate to be had regarding the dumbing down of Channel 4.

For example where are the minority sports ? Channel 4 used to show Football Italia, Tour De France, Sumo, Aussie Rules Football, Basketball, American Football, Cricket all we seem to have now is horse racing. Remember Kabadi anyone ?

Where are the arts programmes ? There used to be a time when Channel 4 would show opera and ballet in full.

Once we had Fifteen-to-One (short of Mastermind probably the most intellectual quiz on the box) now read Deal or No Deal, a gameshow with people opening boxes.

Where’s the comedians ? Channel 4 used to be the home of stand up. There aren’t many sitcoms to speak of, it’s US import or comedy panel show usually with Jimmy Carr. What about the likes of Who’s Line is it Anyway, Friday Night Live, Drop the Dead Donkey, Clive Anderson, Graham Norton. Now we’re getting the comedy legend that is Charlotte Church.

Channel 4 used to show Party Political Broadcasts in full, political programming and discussion has been scaled back, Right to Reply has gone. Schools programming has been sidelined.

Where is the Breakfast service ? Channel 4 Daily / The Big Breakfast ? They just serve up Friends / Will & Grace repeats or Big Brother repeats.

Then of course Channel 4 devotes more hours of it’s schedule to the reality TV genre than any other broadcaster.

It’s late I can’t think of anymore, but is Channel 4 really the scourge of British broadcasting ?

Yes it's all true -- Channel 4 even pioneered Chav TV, which Allen shamelessly (and unsuccessfully) tried to emulate on his own shoddy little network.

C4 ought to be ashamed. They should know better.

However, C4 do still show heavyweight and at times daring programming, documentaries especially. So did ITV once. So where are they now Mr Allen?

It has to be said Charles Allen is a hypocrite of the highest order. He is in no short supply responsible for the deterioration of ITV, and he has the nerve to criticise Channel Four for being more successful at doing the same thing.

Breakfast isn't that good on channel four, in my opinion.

Channel Four do some veryy good current affiars documentaries, after the 'Channel Four News'.I just find Channel Four more creative. 'Space Cadets' was brilliant! Though ig woudl be great if Channel Four put more of the minoriy sports back on.

I can see Charles Allenes annoyance at the publically / commercially financed C4 doing an itv, and beating them. playing a different game, with better resourses. A bit like a Rugby footballer tackling an association footballer, when the rugby footballer has the proper ruggy gear, and the assoiation in association gear.

Channel Four need to use there money on minority stuff. Though, one must admit, on the 'mainstream' stuff, they do beat itv hands-down, even if they do 'cheat' the game!

He didn't put what into practise at ITV? He did exactly what he says in his speech... apart from the stuff about other channels, which he has no control over!

He sounds like he's talking absolute rubbish to me and he's hardly one to talk. He is leaving the trouble broadcaster he is with in October, he has no room to comment.

I don't see why he's attacking a popular channel when his own companies plethora of useless channels and programmes is doing badly. He's praising Dancing on Ice, yeah it was good for a one off but surely if they do that every year it's going to loose its appeal. Love Island should never have been brought back either. ITV is the vision of tripe just now.

If ITV in the middle of a 'transition' then he has to ask himself why exactly is it in a transition.

You're right on the money with all those points.

The 'classic' Channel 4 output was superior to today's typical lineup, but it seems to no longer be as distinct an alternative it once was. It may one day move back toward such programming (with a nudge from the regulator perhaps) but I personally doubt it.

Course he does, when else could he comment on the industry and give the other side of the story about ITV?




It's been in transition since the mid 90's. It's in transition because it would be in an even worse state if it hadn't have changed

The first is true - but C4 probably did more for cricket than any other terrestrial broadcaster has done for any sport in the last few years, while C4 has had to do a bit to keep the racing (well, get the bookies to pay for it!) when it would have been easier to drop it - as the BBC have largely done! They do need more sport though - but not the foreign stuff!

Arts programmes - they still do occassionally, but not as often as in the past - but then again, neither do BBC2!

As for Deal or No Deal - it's format is as intelligent as Fifteen to One, but it's alot more accessible and alot more entertaining!





Comedians - it's the general state of TV, but C4 is still the breeding ground more so than any other channel, and this autumn their post 9pm line up will be completly British!

Right to Reply - much missed, while what they get away with as Schools programmes is questionable, but nowadays I doubt schools programmes are used as they were when I was a kid!

Breakfast - it's still an alternative line up, but it's a shame they haven't got a daily live entertainment show - though they are still on the look out for something, but don't seem willing to commission it for the sake of it!


And your last point is nearly as stupid as Charles Allen! Outside of Big Brother C4 screen very little reality programming, and alot of it would previously have been classed as documentary or factual entertainment.

Big Brother is also the only C4 show which relies on public voting - unlike ITV and even the BBC, who virtually incorporate the public vote into any "reality" show they air!



C4 do have some problems - but they are far fewer than the other stations. I'd say breakfast and sport are the only areas they should be concerned about really!

But remember when CH4 started showing the show, like BB, other popular stuff, there weren’t popular when there first Started!

CH4 is still original and fresh, and still has different out put form what other four channel where doing,

You CAN’T blame ch4 for holding on to show that was original minority stuff but has got a bigger following over time,

There need that money to provide more resources for more minority programming

Like Paul O'Grady, now if there was ever a show they didnt need to be doing, that was it.

Could agree more.

It's exactly the kind of tat that sits fine on ITV but should never have infected C4.

It is a show that sits uncomfortably in the C4 schedule - but it was quite a shrewd business move!