Editing Channel 4 (section)

==Regions/international ==

===Regions===
Channel 4 has, since its inception, broadcast identical programmes and [[continuity (broadcasting)|continuity]] throughout the United Kingdom (excluding Wales where it did not operate on analogue transmitters). At launch this made it unique, as both the BBC and [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] had long-established traditions of providing [[regional variation]]s in their programming in different areas of the country. Since the launch of subsequent British television channels, Channel 4 has become typical in its lack of regional programming variations.

A few exceptions exist to this rule for programming and continuity:

* Some of Channel 4's schools' programming (1980s-early 1990s) was regionalised due to differences in curricula between different regions.<ref name="itvschools"/>
* Advertising on Channel 4 does contain regular variation: prior to 1993, when ITV was responsible for selling Channel 4's advertising, each regional ITV company would provide the content of advertising breaks, covering the same transmitter area as themselves, and these breaks were often unique to that area. After Channel 4 became responsible for its own advertising, it continued to offer advertisers the ability to target particular audiences and divided its coverage area into six regions: London, South, Midlands, North, Northern Ireland and Scotland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.4sales.com/our-offering/regional-information |title=Regional Information |website=4Sales |date=5 December 2019 |access-date=23 June 2021 |archive-date=28 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128124750/https://www.4sales.com/our-offering/regional-information |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4sales.com/data/macro_map |title=Channel 4's 'Macro Regions' for advertising, including a map |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220084700/http://www.channel4sales.com/data/macro_map |archive-date=20 December 2008 }}</ref> Wales does not have its own advertising region; instead, its viewers receive the southern region on digital platforms intentionally broadcast to the area or the neighbouring region where terrestrial transmissions spill over into Wales. [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] and [[ITV Breakfast]] use a similar model to Channel 4 for providing their own advertising regions, despite also having a single national output of programming.

Part of Channel 4's remit covers the commissioning of programmes from outside London. Channel 4 has a dedicated director of nations and regions, [[Stuart Cosgrove]], who is based in a regional office in Glasgow. As his job title suggests, it is his responsibility to foster relations with independent producers based in areas of the United Kingdom (including Wales) outside London.

===International===
Channel 4 is available in the Republic of Ireland, with ads tailored to the Irish market. The channel is registered with the broadcasting regulators in Luxembourg for terms of conduct and business within the EU/EEA while observing guidelines outlined by Ireland's [[Broadcasting Authority of Ireland|BAI code]]. Irish advertising sales are managed by Media Link<ref>{{cite web |url=https://medialive.ie/index.php?option=com_sobipro&pid=129&sid=1336:channel-4&Itemid=103 |title=Media Directory/Republic of Ireland Broadcasters |work=medialive.ie |access-date=22 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417184228/https://www.medialive.ie/index.php?option=com_sobipro&pid=129&sid=1336:channel-4&Itemid=103 }}</ref> in Dublin. Where Channel 4 does not hold broadcasting rights within the Republic of Ireland such programming is unavailable. For example, the series [[Glee (TV series)|''Glee'']] was not available on Channel 4 on Sky in Ireland due to it broadcasting on [[Virgin Media One|TV3]] within Ireland. Currently, programming available on Channel 4 is available within the Republic of Ireland without restrictions. Elsewhere in Europe, the UK version of the channel is available.

===Future possibility of regional news===
With [[ITV plc]] pushing for much looser requirements on the amount of regional news and other programming it is obliged to broadcast in its ITV regions, the idea of Channel 4 taking on a regional news commitment has been considered, with the corporation in talks with [[Ofcom]] and ITV over the matter.<ref name="c4moveregional">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jul/03/channel4.ofcom |title=Channel 4 ponders move into regional news as ITV retreats |work=The Guardian |author=Leigh Holmwood |date=7 March 2008 |access-date=30 September 2008 |location=London |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308224347/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jul/03/channel4.ofcom |url-status=live }}</ref> Channel 4 believes that a scaling-back of such operations on ITV's part would be detrimental to Channel 4's national news operation, which shares much of its resources with ITV through their shared news contractor [[ITN]]. At the same time, Channel 4 also believes that such an additional public service commitment would bode well in on-going negotiations with Ofcom in securing additional funding for its other public service commitments.<ref name="c4moveregional" />