Editing Channel 4 (section)

===1993–2006: Channel Four Television Corporation===
{{Main|Channel Four Television Corporation}}
[[File:Multi coloured 4, 124 Horseferry Road, London.jpg|thumb|Channel 4 headquarters, [[124 Horseferry Road]], London]]
After control of the station passed from the Channel Four Television Company to the [[Channel Four Television Corporation]] in 1993, a shift in broadcasting style took place. Instead of aiming for minority tastes, it began to focus on the edges of the mainstream, and the centre of the mass market itself.<ref>{{cite book|last=Debrett|first=Mary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CtG2HyeBM2IC&pg=PA65=|title=Reinventing Public Service Television for the Digital Future|date=2010|publisher=[[Intellect Books]]|isbn=978-1-84150-321-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/arts-and-books/when-channel-4-wasnt-just-bake-off-and-benefits-street|title=When Channel 4 wasn't just Bake Off and Benefits Street: It was once part of a golden era of the popular avant-garde|last=Thompson|first=Sam|date=14 September 2018|website=Prospect Magazine|access-date=20 July 2019|archive-date=13 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713042337/https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/arts-and-books/when-channel-4-wasnt-just-bake-off-and-benefits-street|url-status=live}}</ref> It began to show many American programmes in peak viewing time, far more than it had previously done.

In September 1993, the channel broadcast the direct-to-TV documentary film ''[[Beyond Citizen Kane]]'', in which it displayed the dominant position of the Rede Globo (now [[TV Globo]]) television network, and discussed its influence, power, and political connections in Brazil.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Channel 4 gave many popular and influential American comedy and drama series their first exposure on British television, such as ''[[Friends]]'', ''[[Cheers]]'', ''[[Will & Grace]]'', ''[[NYPD Blue]]'', ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'', ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'', ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]'', ''[[Without a Trace]]'', ''[[Home Improvement (TV series)|Home Improvement]]'', ''[[Frasier]]'', [[Lost (2004 TV series)|''Lost'']], ''[[Nip/Tuck]]'', ''[[Third Watch]]'', ''[[The West Wing]]'', ''[[Ally McBeal]]'', ''[[Freaks and Geeks]]'', ''[[Roseanne]]'', ''[[Dawson's Creek]]'', ''[[Oz (TV series)|Oz]]'', ''[[Sex and the City]]'', ''[[The Sopranos]]'', ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]],'' ''[[King of the Hill]], [[Babylon 5]]'', ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'', ''[[Andromeda (TV series)|Andromeda]],'' ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[South Park]]'' and ''[[Futurama]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=BFI Screenonline: Channel 4 Drama |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1294321/index.html |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Channel 4 – the home of great telly {{!}} Channel 4 |url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/channel-4-home-great-telly |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=www.channel4.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=5 November 1999|title=Third Watch to air on Sky and C4 |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/third-watch-to-air-on-sky-and-c4/1224264.article#:~:text=Sky%20One%20and%20Channel%204%20have%20secured,in%20the%20US,%20writes%20Jason%20Deans.%20The. |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=Broadcast }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |date=21 February 2006 |title=Channel 4 streamlines West Wing schedule |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/feb/21/broadcasting |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=The Guardian  |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In the early 2000s, Channel 4 began broadcasting reality formats such as ''[[Big Brother (British TV series)|Big Brother]]'' and obtained the rights to broadcast mass appeal sporting events like [[cricket]] and [[horse racing]]. This new direction increased ratings and revenues. The popularity of ''Big Brother'' led to the launches of other, shorter-lived new reality shows to chase the populist audience, such as ''[[The Salon (TV series)|The Salon]]'', ''[[Shattered (British TV series)|Shattered]]'' and ''[[Space Cadets (TV series)|Space Cadets]]''.

In addition, the corporation launched several new television channels through its new [[4Ventures]] offshoot, including [[Film4]], [[At the Races]], [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]] and [[More4]].

Partially in reaction to its new "populist" direction, the [[Communications Act 2003]] directed the channel to demonstrate innovation, experimentation, and creativity, appeal to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society, and include programmes of an educational nature which exhibit a distinctive character.<ref name="overview"/>

On 31 December 2004, Channel 4 launched a new [[station identification|visual identity]] in which the logo is disguised as different objects and the "4" can be seen from an angle.

Under the leadership of [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] founder [[Andy Duncan (businessman)|Andy Duncan]], 2005 saw a change of direction for Channel 4's digital channels. The company made E4 [[free-to-air]] on [[Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom|digital terrestrial television]], and launched a new free-to-air digital channel called [[More4]]. By October, Channel 4 had joined the Freeview consortium.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?id=1225 |title=DTG News: ITV and Channel 4 confirm Freeview stakes |access-date=3 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219105350/http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?id=1225 |archive-date=19 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> By July 2006, Film4 had likewise become free-to-air and restarted broadcasting on digital terrestrial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4sales.com/news/news-article.aspx?year=2006&id=21 |title=CHANNEL4SALES: NEWS |access-date=3 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060708233806/http://www.channel4sales.com/news/news-article.aspx?year=2006&id=21 |archive-date=8 July 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Venturing into radio broadcasting, 2005 saw Channel 4 purchase 51% of shares in the now defunct [[Oneword]] radio station, with UBC Media holding on to the remaining shares. New programmes such as the weekly, half-hour ''The Morning Report'' news programme were among some of the new content Channel 4 provided for the station, with the name [[#4radio|4Radio]] being used. As of early 2009, however, Channel 4's future involvement in radio remained uncertain.