Channel 4 is unique in British television in provoking debate. As it has no shareholders and a limited level of public support, it is far more independent than its competitors. This independence has been put to good use, interrogating authority, challenging the consensus and airing opinions often too provocative or uncomfortable for other broadcasters to transmit. This editorial policy has also pervaded its drama, entertainment and softer educational programming, from Brass Eye to The Mark of Cain to The Big Food Fight. The aim has not just been controversy – although that has often been the outcome – but to raise public consciousness and broaden debate on key political and social issues.
In This Chapter
- Introduction
- Provoking Debate by Peter Oborne
- V by Tony Harrison 1987
- The Omagh Bomb by Michael Gallagher
- Are We Telling a Lie About the Land? by Molly Dineen
- We Got There First by Peter Morgan
- The Government Inspector by Lucie Willan
- Look At It My Way by Nick Broomfield
- Gallery
