C4 was a New Zealand television channel owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand. C4 was available on both digital terrestrial and satellite platforms and played music around the clock, including music from C4's sister radio division from The Rock, The Edge, The Breeze, More FM, George FM, Mai FM & The Sound. C4 also aired a lot of speciality music shows such as HomeGrown, Top 10/100, Video Hits, Fade To Black, Steel Mill, the UChoose40 and the Biggest Records Right Now. The channel was originally launched on Friday 3 October 2003 at 8:00 pm as a re-branding of TV4 which had been broadcasting since 1997. On 1 May 2010, as C4 had been moving away from music programming since 2008, the jukebox side was split off and C4 launched a second C4 channel on Channel 9 called C4 2. C4 2 was only available on digital Freeview terrestrial and satellite platforms.

At the end of 2010 an announcement was made that MediaWorks would again re-brand the extant C4 channel as FOUR, which meant C4 2 would be converted to a music show as C4 was moved to its channel 9 position. C4 shut down on Thursday 26 June 2014 at 1:00 am. It was replaced by The Edge TV the next day on Friday 27 June 2014 at 4:00 pm. Nearly a decade later on 17 October 2023 two weeks after the official 20th anniversary, The Spinoff paid tribute to C4 in a podcast video on YouTube celebrating C4's 20th anniversary.

History Background Canwest initially planned to shut down the loss-making TV4 and replace it with the Māori Television Service, which would use its VHF network. With no turnaround point, the channel was expected to close in 2003. MTS was expected to cover 74% of the population with its transmitter network.BERRY, R. (2002, May 16). Offer CanWest radio frequency for TV4 - MTS: [3 edition]. Evening Post By November, it had inked a new deal with Canwest;BERRY, R. (2002, Nov 08). Maori Television makes bid for TV4. Dominion Post only to be rejected in January 2003 by creating its own UHF network from scratch.Maori TV to start this year. (2003, Jan 29). The Press In April 2003, it was announced that TV4 would be replaced by a music video channel, largely targeting the 15-19 demographic,TV4 to be relaunched as youth music channel following TV3's rebrand.Drinnan, J. (2003, Apr). New Zealand: TV4 woos auds with music. Variety, 390, 27.

Early years "Piss off, old people, you've got your own Concert FM - this is for us, the yoof"; launch words uttered by Clarke Gayford on 3 October 2003

C4 was launched on Friday night 3 October 2003 at 8:00 pm,C4 Television - Launch Time when TV4 (which first aired in 1997) ceased broadcasting and relaunched as a music television channel called C4. C4, which stands for "Channel 4", was originally going to be known as "4Music" before it was officially unveiled as C4. TV3 and TV4 managing director Rick Friesen said that the name had been chosen for its "bold simplicity".TV4 becomes C4, the music television channelNew-look C4 gets ready to roll in early October The first show to broadcast on C4 was the 100 Best Music Videos Of All Time (Top 100), which was a countdown show where viewers voted prior to the show for their favourite music videos. The first music video to air on C4 to start the Channel off was Exit To The City by The D4. The Top 100 also included Metallica - One, described as "utter, utter nonsense" during an article on The New Zealand Herald in its countdown show, marking the first Metallica music video to air on C4. The final music video to air on the 100 Best Music Videos Of All Time (Top 100) was Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit. This very music video has also famously received the same top spot on one of The Rock's annual countdown events around the time of C4's launch.C4 Television two days after its launch: Music videos are an art form, okay? TV programming on C4 included local made shows such as Select Live and The Official NZ Top 40. New Zealand On Air paid $500,000 for the first year of operation and C4 was to broadcast 58 hours a week of music television in prime-time, reaching 72% of the population, with a target of 20–25% New Zealand music content. It also had a limited number of carryovers from the previous TV4, such as South Park.REED, M. N. (2003, Sep 28). Can't stop the music. Sunday Star - Times

C4 had a deal with MTV Networks to air MTV programming such as Pimp My Ride. The MTV content on C4 remained on air after Sky TV launched a local MTV station featuring some of the same shows. MTV content decreased in 2008 when the channel moved towards general entertainment.

Following the scandal that happened with Popetown, C4 was hesitant in airing an episode of South Park depicting a bleeding statue of the Virgin Mary. Amanda Wilson claimed as of January 2006 that the episode, included in the package of its latest season available to the network, that she had not seen the episode yet and would not decide if it would air at all.Sensitive C4 nervous at sending church send-up Rotorua's John Paul College sent e-mails to parents of its students on 19 February, calling for a boycott of 3 News, as well as products advertised on TV3 and C4.School calls for TV3 and C4 boycott After screening the episode, it announced on 22 February that it would not repeat it, and that it had a "very minor" impact: one sponsor left TV3, but C4's ratings were not affected.C4 apologises for Bloody Mary show

On 11 April 2007 C4 began broadcasting in 14:9 widescreen on SKY TV. C4 then switched to a 16:9 widescreen format on 2 May 2007, the same day as Freeview launched. C4 screened in letterboxed 14:9 widescreen on 4:3 analogue VHF broadcasts.

24-hour broadcasts began in 2007 but only to digital viewers. The channel played music videos overnight followed by a music breakfast show with no presenters. Analogue viewers continued to see infomercials during these times.

Mainstream reformat From 1 July 2008, the channel began the process of changing from a music channel to a youth-oriented entertainment network, operating under the same programming direction of its sister station TV3. In addition, C4 moved to channel 12 on Sky Digital and TelstraClear InHome TV platforms to reflect its new programming direction with a reduced focus on music. Its primetime schedules began to be occupied with more mainstream US series, as well as The Daily Show.C4's on the pulse

On 1 May 2010, as part of the contract with Freeview to provide at least four channels, MediaWorks launched a second C4 channel called C4 2. C4 2 streamed unhosted music videos back-to-back. The channel was available exclusively on the Freeview platform on Channel 9.

Shutdown of C4's original Channel 4 position; moving to Channel 9 in the former C4 2 capacity At 6:00 pm on 6 February 2011, C4 moved to Channel 9 on Freeview instead of replacing C4 2. C4 then converted its second C4 channel from a TV channel to a music show. MediaWorks then launched the return of TV4 as FOUR in place of C4. The final music show on C4 before the changeover was the Top 100 Music Videos Ever, a similar show that was used to launch C4 in the end of 2003. The final music video screened before the changeover as well as to take out the Number 1 Top Spot on the Top 100 was Thriller by Michael Jackson. From 2011 onwards C4 screened a low-cost jukebox of music videos once again compiled by theme and a rerun of FOUR live, as many of the entertainment shows seen on C4 between 2008 and 2011 were moved to FOUR. C4 was available exclusively to Freeview viewers until 2012 when C4 returned to Sky.

On 25 September 2012, MediaWorks decided to provide four regional simulcasts of the channel on the Freeview satellite platform, which resulted in no space for C4. MediaWorks decided to replace the Sky simulcast of FOUR with C4, meaning only satellite viewers with either a generic DVB or Sky supplied receiver would be the only ones to get all channels via satellite.MediaWorks Notice. Due to a number of certified Freeview receivers only scanning and setting Freeview channels, from October 2013, the TVNZ metadata on the Freeview satellite service was changed to include the C4 feed on the Sky service. Certified Freeview receivers could manually add the channel.

C4 ceased broadcasting operations on 26 June 2014 at 1:00 am. The final music show to air on C4 was C42. The final music video to air on C4 was Exit To The City by The D4. MediaWorks launched a new music channel to replace C4 called The Edge TV, which is run by the radio station The Edge. The Edge TV was launched on Freeview Channel 11, and a time shift version of FOUR called FOUR + 1 was launched in place of C4.

Post-C4's shutdown On 17 October 2023, nearly a decade after C4 ceased broadcasting operations, The Spinoff paid tribute to C4's 20th anniversary in a podcastC4 Television - Happy 20th Birthday C4 on YouTube and on their websiteC4 Television - 20th Anniversary celebrating C4 in a time when the internet was slow and the demand for music videos was high. Duncan Greive also explained what would've had happened if C4 was to return that "It wouldn't work, that there isn't an easy way to replicate C4, but still feel the absence in the space where the culture could be knitted together and mediated in a fun way and get a sense of who are the people behind that".

All shows that aired on C4

Amp'd

Amp'd aired on Thursday nights. It featured hard rock and alternative music, and was hosted by Jono Pryor.

Animation Station The Animation Station aired every Thursday night on C4 and it aired animated shows such as South Park, King of the Hill, The Cleveland Show, Futurama and Family Guy.

Pop Machete Pop Machete was a half-hour-long programme aired Thursday at 9:00 pm on C4. Hosted by Damien Blank and Craig Easson. Pop Machete features alternative music videos, news and interviews.

The Takeover The Takeover was a half-hour-long programme that follows-up after Pop Machete at 9:30 pm on C4. Hosted by Damien Blank, Craig Easson and a randomly selected band. The band has control over the music programming over the half-hour.

Holla Hour Holla Hour was a classic C4 programme hosted by DJ Sir-Vere on Mondays at 10:00 pm on C4. Returning after a long absence on the TV channel, Holla Hour features the latest hip hop music videos, interviews and news in Hip Hop and Rn'B music. Final show was on 23 June 2014 at 10:00 pm.

C42 C42 (Previously the second C4 channel, then became a music show from 6 February 2011 after TV4's return as FOUR) aired daily on C4 from 11:00 pm – 5:00 am, then 5:00 am – 6:00 am only on Mondays – Fridays and 11:00 am – 1:00 pm daily. The programme aired alternative music videos back-to-back, including some Rock music videos from The Rock such as Pluto - Dance Stamina, The Vines - Get Free & Shihad - La La Land (All 3 Of Them Aired On 30 June 2013) with a couple of ad-breaks at the hour. Final show was on 25 June 2014 at 9:00 pm – 1:00 am the next morning when C4 came to the end of the line. The final music video to air on C42 was The D4 - Exit To The City.

Spoon Spoon was a classic C4 programme which aired "Smooth Music Videos" in the early hours of the morning such as Salmonella Dub - Push On Thru, Fat Freddy's Drop - Ray Ray, Gotan Project - Mi Confesión, Massive Attack - Be Thankful For What You Got, including some Rock music videos from The Rock such as Johnny Cash - Hurt (18 August 2012) & Radiohead - Creep (16 September 2012). Spoon aired during the weekends on Saturday & Sunday mornings from 5:00 am – 6:00 am on C4.

The Big Breakfast The Big Breakfast was where you can listen to a random mix of music videos dating from back in the days up to today's hit music vids. The Big Breakfast aired on C4 every morning from 6:00 am – 10:00 am. Final show was on 25 June 2014 at 6:00 am – 9:00 am.

Common Ground Common Ground aired R&B and hip hop music videos on C4 airing at random programme slot times throughout the week.

Blender