E4 (TV channel)
E4 is a British free-to-air television channel headquartered in London, United Kingdom owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The "E" stands for entertainment, and the channel is primarily aimed at the 16–34 age group. Programming includes US imports such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Goldbergs, The O.C., Smallville, Veronica Mars, Everwood, What About Brian, Desperate Housewives, How I Met Your Mother, 90210, Gotham, Rules of Engagement, The Big Bang Theory, RuPaul's Drag Race, 2 Broke Girls, Scream Queens, Revenge, Rick and Morty, Harley Quinn and previously Friends (now on Comedy Central and Channel 5). Other programming includes homegrown British shows such as Skins, Misfits, The Inbetweeners, Shameless, Fonejacker, Hollyoaks, Coach Trip, Celebs Go Dating and Made in Chelsea.
E4 | |
---|---|
Launched | 18 January 2001 |
Owned by | Channel Four Television Corporation |
Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed) |
Audience share | 1.47% (Including +1) (22 March 2020 , BARB) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Headquarters | London, England, UK |
Sister channel(s) | Channel 4 4seven Film4 More4 4Music The Box Box Hits Kerrang! Kiss Magic |
Timeshift service | E4 +1 |
Website | www |
Availability | |
Terrestrial | |
Freeview | Channel 13 Channel 28 (+1) |
Satellite | |
Freesat | Channel 122 Channel 123 (+1) |
Sky (UK) | Channel 135 (SD/HD) Channel 235 (+1) Channel 829 (SD) |
Sky (Ireland) | Channel 136 Channel 236 (+1) Channel 345 (HD) |
Astra 2E | 10714 H 22000 5/6 10936 V 22000 5/6 (+1) |
Cable | |
Virgin Media | Channel 106 Channel 145 (HD) Channel 146 (+1) |
Virgin Media Ireland | Channel 112 Channel 113 (+1) Channel 162 (HD) |
Cablecom (Switzerland) | Channel 164/181 |
WightFibre | Channel 12 Channel 13 (+1) |
IPTV | |
SwisscomTV (Switzerland) | Channel arbitrary |
Eir Vision | Channel 216 Channel 217 (+1) |
Streaming media | |
All 4 | Watch live |
FilmOn | Watch live |
Sky Go | Watch live (UK and Ireland only) |
Its most successful broadcast to date was on 11 October 2010 when an episode of The Inbetweeners pulled in over 3.7 million viewers.[1]
History
E4 launched as a pay television companion to Channel 4 on 18 January 2001. On 16 December 2004, Channel 4 announced that the subscription channel would become a free-to-air television channel by launching on the digital terrestrial television system.
E4 launched a Republic of Ireland service in June 2002, which has become the second most popular non-terrestrial channel in Ireland with 1.1% of the audience; Sky One is the most popular.[2]
In August 2005, following the close of that year's Big Brother, E4 introduced the E4 Music programming block. The slot initially ran through much of the morning/daytime schedule, though was later reduced to mornings only, with the amount of scripted comedy and drama screened in daytime increased. Prior to the launch of E4 Music, E4 was off-air during daytime for much of the year, only going on air in daytime for rolling coverage of reality series such as Big Brother. In 2008, the launch of 4Music as a channel led to questions being asked about the future of E4 Music. However, E4 retained its commitment to music content, stating that E4 Music had been commissioned to run until at least the start of Big Brother in 2009.[3] At 10 am on Thursday 4 June 2009, the day before the launch of the 2009 Big Brother series, E4 Music ceased broadcasting.
In July 2007, it was announced Channel 4 would be launching E4 Radio, the first of a network of channels to be broadcast on DAB radio. The station was planned for launch in July 2008 and aimed at a similar demographic to its television channel,[4] however this launch date was later delayed. In October 2008, Channel 4 announced it was abandoning its plans for digital radio, and thus scrapping the E4 Radio proposal.
On 14 December 2009, a high-definition simulcast of E4 launched on Sky+ HD channel 215, it was later added to Virgin Media on 1 April 2010.[5][6]
On 31 October 2013, E4 premiered a refreshed look as part of the channel's rebranding. This coincided with the debut of the seventh series of The Big Bang Theory, as well as the debut of original comedy Drifters.[7]
On 27 September 2018, E4 was rebranded with a logo and identity, marking the first major rebrand since its launch in 2001.[8] On 14 January 2019, it was announced that Channel 4 had partnered up with the American programming block Adult Swim, to air Adult Swim shows.[9]
Programming
Most watched programmes
The following is a list of the ten most watched shows on E4, based on Live +7 data supplied by BARB up to 11 November 2018.[1] The number of viewers does not include repeats or airings on E4+1.
Rank | Series | Episode | Viewers | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Inbetweeners | 3.05 – "Home Alone" | 3,721,000 | 11 October 2010 |
2 | 3.06 – "The Camping Trip" | 3,704,000 | 18 October 2010 | |
3 | 3.04 – "The Trip to Warwick" | 3,619,000 | 4 October 2010 | |
4 | 3.03 – "Will's Dilemma" | 3,572,000 | 27 September 2010 | |
5 | 3.01 – "The Fashion Show" | 3,456,000 | 13 September 2010 | |
6 | 3.02 – "The Gig and the Girlfriend" | 3,336,000 | 20 September 2010 | |
7 | The Big Bang Theory | 6.01 – "The Date Night Variable" | 2,803,000 | 15 November 2012 |
8 | 9.05 – "The Perspiration Implementation" | 2,728,000 | 26 November 2015 | |
9 | 9.12 – "The Sales Call Sublimination" | 2,688,000 | 24 March 2016 | |
10 | 12.04 – "The Tam Turbulence" | 2,661,500 | 8 November 2018 |
Big Brother coverage
Between 2001 and 2010 when the reality series Big Brother (and Celebrity Big Brother) were being transmitted on Channel 4, E4 devoted much of its schedule to live coverage from inside the Big Brother house; interactive features that gave access to additional camera angles have also been transmitted.[10] The channel also had Big Brother voting options, Big Brother spin-off shows such as Big Brother Live, Big Brother's Little Brother, Big Brother's Big Mouth, Diary Room Uncut and Big Brother highlights repeats.[11] In June 2020, to mark the 20th anniversary of Big Brother's inception, E4 aired select episodes from both the civilian and celebrity programmes, in a series titled Big Brother: Best Shows Ever. Hosted by Davina McCall and Rylan Clark-Neal, the first episode of the series received one million viewers.[12]
References
- BARB, via
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 17 August 2006.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Q&A: Neil McCallum, Head of 4Music". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- "BBC NEWS - Business - E4 Radio to be first new network". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- "High Definition Gloriousness". E4. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- "E4 HD to launch on Sky". British Sky Broadcasting. 9 December 2009.
- Alex Fletcher (30 October 2013). "E4 gets first channel refresh in 6 years: First ident pictures, videos". Digital Spy.
- "Channel 4 airs 'eclectic, unpredictable' rebrand across all of its channels". The Drum. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- "Rick and Morty comes to E4 for the first time this evening". JOE.CO.UK. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- "Big Brother proves bore on E4". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- "Channel 4 to Launch E4 on Freeview". Channel 4. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- "Four-screen dashboard". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
Further reading
- Graham Kibble-White (2001). "Friday Night Every Night". Off the Telly. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
- Ian Jones (2001). "Countdown to E4". Off the Telly. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
- Ian Jones; Jack Kibble-White; Graham Kibble-White (2001). "The ABC of E4". Off the Telly. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
- Ian Jones; Graham Kibble-White (2002). "Big Thursday". Off the Telly. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
- Burrell, Ian (7 December 2009). "Is this a magic formula to attract young people back to television?". The Independent. Retrieved 7 December 2009.