Channel 4 Opening 1982

[wedgehedge444]

I remember this it was like; a new CHANNEL??? OMG!!!!!!

But today when create and craft randomly appears on the freeview EPG we don't give a shit. :)

[58TweedDeluxe]

...then we all sat down and watched Brookside for the next 21 years...

[morgansifer]

This music is lovely. As Channel 4 turns 30 next year they should play this over a montage of all their highlights in those 30 years.

[Highlander542]

Have yet to hear a station ident anywhere in the world as beautiful as that of Channel Four!!

[alfonzothefonz]

In this multi media age it is easy to forget the groundbreaking impact the launch of the evolutionary C4 made in the early 80's. Unfortunately, it has somewhat tamed in recent years but in the 80's and 90's it changed the way we watched TV. It was the mainstream medium for the birth of 'alternative' comedy and showcased films seen to be far to controversial to be shown by the 'button down' BBC. C4 was the BBC2 of liberal socialists.

[cinneadboy2]

I was a 6 y.o. in Dublin, Ireland, when i remember seeing this, my parents were Guardian reader types. We love C4 it's diversity, bringing a fresh start to TV.

[cisco9x]

It was so boring back in the early eighties, so 2 dimensional, so racist, so monotone, so robotic, so mainstream, so tough, and then Channel 4 helped changed everything..I was 16

[fraserkatie]

@edie221 Paul Coia there , great! He made TV history!

[MrBooojangles]

I don't remember this opening sequence but I do remember seeing the beginning of the first Countdown. Seeing the start of this new TV channel was like watching colour TV for the first time, it was a massive thing back then.

[DonaldMcKinney]

What are the clips at 0:34 and 3:18 from??

And did I spot Ken Russell's Valentino in there??

[pyphagarus]

i remember this first day and opening sequences all those years ago..

[adzybee135]

aha the ending, GREAT WHATS THE FIRST EVER PROGRAM GUNNA BE, of crap countdown

[tom1984uk]

Countdown is crap to unitelligent morons like you

[adzybee135]

why call me a moron if you dont even know me? and damn, why so serious!!

[welshbird1998]

i'm surprised to see such a good opening here from channel 4, i was expecting some kind of a dreary-toned intro followed by countdown......my father was telling me the other day how dissapointed he was with it...but then again, he was 18, so he was probably expecting some kind of TV miracle after growing up on 3 channels like most of his generation. thank god for youtube!

[eightninchpianist]

TV's always been mostly crap, but we do get nostalgic.

[wildenfree]

And now Sky just churn out pointless crap channels, without any pomp or pride that nobody watches

[madcapoperator]

Ah, so THATS how it started.

[fiddleandfart]

Loved this. And I've still got my taped copy - leading into the first showing (and possibly the last?) of Tarkovsky's Solaris.

I've played it occasionally over the years since for its sheer classy gorgeousness. A slow visual edit but somehow very moving - brings tears to the eyes.

From the days when C4 was something new and different - when being a platform for Big Brother would have been unthinkable.

Great music and great graphics. I still miss both.

[AidanLunn]

Well that can't have been the original showing. The first showing lead straiught into Countdown.

[LANbritain]

channel 4, great channel........

it still is, its just got crap shows on nowadays, like every channel really

T4 (some of the American imports), hollyoaks and Big Brother all rubbish

it still can do some really good tv dramas.

[pjcnet]

I remember this, makes me feel very old, LOL.

[adzybee135]

well you still got a good memory, and you say lo. you cant be tht old :P

[mmsood99]

That sent a shiver down my spine - the memories! Never have I seen a better opening of a new station than this - not ever.

[psifla]

@mmsood99: I'm with you, 100%. The montage of clips is excellent, but what really sells it is David Dundas's music.

[RonnieFukinSize]

Good times. Of course we all know good things don't last

[Nurikane]

I've never seen a very sophisticated channel launch like this in my life. As a communications graduate, I'd rather see more stuff like that, this time in HD format. In the Philippines, most channel launch and rebranding programmes are repetitive 2-hour variety shows with tons of celebrities like we usually see every Sunday afternoon.

[JFredUK]

@Nurikane This was something very special for people in the UK. Back in 1982, before the advent of satellite TV, the beginning of Channel 4 was historical in the sense that nothing like it had happened on TV for 25 years! A new TV channel was, 'whoarrr!!!!' So, a big fuss was made of it. Even watching it now, after all these years, it's still impressive.

[Nurikane]

@JFredUK Interesting story indeed! How's the UK TV these days? Sadly, we can only watch BBC World on satellite TV. :(

[thighfungus]

I remember when channel 4 started

[dunkiep]

I'm sorry, but I find this montage very dull.

[morgansifer82]

The music is also breathtaking! What a fantastic opeining for a new channel, these days we don't blink when a new digital channel is launched.

[moveitbetts]

A terraced street in Wallsend at 3:41?

[dmlee83]

Wow - never knew that. Swan Hunters I'm guessing...

Your name - a Scum reference?

[moveitbetts]

dmlee83 - Yes definitely!

[morgansifer82]

I was only six months old when Channel 4 launched but watching this I can imagine it was very exciting. The launch of Channel 5 fifteen years later was such a disapointment.

[FugginBarstod]

Yes I remember the opening with this fantastic grand opening soundtrack. Does anyone have the Pre-launch footage advertising Channel 4?

[Waterwings1978]

Hard to belive that Channel 4 has been going for just over 25 years. Funnily enough I was only 4 years old at the time of the channel's launch in November 1982. The music is very catchy as it's called 4Score which is very appropiate for the channel.

[ivorbigunzz]

C4,..... inventive,stylish,free of bias,no John Snow.

What the hell happened!!

[arthurvasey]

I remember my brother-in-law phoning our house (I was the only one home at the time - before the channel launched itself properly) and telling me "I've got a Channel 4 test card on my telly" - tuned in ours and there it was in all its glory.

[centurytv]

I remember the launch well. Paul Coia annoucing Good afternoon its a pleasure to be able to say to you welcome to Channel 4. Only 3 terrestrial tv channels back in the 80s before launch of the fourth channel.

[AidanLunn]

only 2 if you had a 405-line set.

[CrazyTobster]

I really glad that C4 got it act together in recent years and the Network are now making programming which make it a rating winner

[retroglide2000]

Yeah, lose the tat and it could be the best terrestrial channel.

[053bss]

Spectacular music!!!

[successconsulting]

personally...i thought the young ones was great....an ideal example of the BBC catering for the time....well done the BBC

[LyndonSoulGroove]

Great Launch seems like yesterday, though in 1982 the BBC started the General decline in Quality TV by screening " The young Ones" the launch of Channel 4 was expected to be a revelation in entertainment , it did get better over the years..

[psifla]

David Dundas wrote this music. Quite a spectacular opening, much more "cultured" than Five's... Although Five thankfully improved with time. The best of C4's output seems to have come from their earlier days.

[callwithcurrentconti]

GIMME FIEV [sic] YEAH! IT'S SOMETHING NEW - IT'S THE SPICE GIRLS oh god.

[RobinCarmody]

The voice heralding this new dawn was that of Paul Coia.

[jackie64b]

I remember trying to tune in my brother's portable TV, trying to get Channel 4. Nothing but snow and interference - (not Jon Snow though lol). It was abut 18 months until we got it.

I also missed Channel 5's opening night. We still don't get Channel 5 on analogue - and soon that'll be switched off.

[webothlovesoup]

I was only 4 when this was launched but I do remember it... my earliest memory. Didn't they use this full score alot because originally they couldn't get enough advertising to fill the schedule between the programmes. Am I wrong here?

[NotATube]

You're right; I remember that too. They displayed a static card saying something like "back soon" and an extended version of the Channel 4 theme. Quite strange, and not very exciting.

I heard later that supposedly the adverts (or lack of them) varied in different areas of the UK, since advertising was sold on a regional basis.

[arthurvasey]

For many months, that was the case. In Tyne-Tees land, where I was living at the time, we'd sometimes get about two ads, then "(programme) follows shortly" or "(programme) Part (part number) follows shortly".

Seemed a bit odd, seeing ads for Minories (a local car dealership) on a national channel - and Tyne Tees break bumpers on Channel 4 - although the early years did see some old ITV re-runs - and shows made by the ITV regions ("A Yorkshire Television production for Channel Four").

[belfastuniguy]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHANNEL 4

May you continue to change and shock the nation through groundbreaking programming.

[scottishwildcat]

Or, more likely, keep churning out crap like Big Brother.

[THELEICESTERFOX]

Happy Birthday Channel 4!

25 Years of great TV, great Programmes and still kicking ITV and BBC on their programmes.

Channel 4 has lifted TV big time and has brought us, laughter, controversy but as Ive said great Programming when ITV and BBC failed to deliver!

Here's to another 25 years of this great Broadcaster!

[robglobetrotter]

too young to remember i was only 4

[putthetellyon]

Happy 25th Birthday Channel 4 and of course Countdown!

Full playout of Four Score today please? It won't happen, times have changed but still.

[hugalove]

As a 14 year old, I was there to see the launch at 4.45pm, Tuesday 2 November 1982. Congrats to C4 tomorrow, you kicked the arse of British TV big time, but remember, S4C launched before you did! 6.00pm Monday 1st November. Mike S..

[Hoddersrevenge]

Am i correct ina ssuming Superted was the first programme on S4C? [In welsh of course]