[1] Launched in 2004 when Microsoft's corporate reputation was at a low,[2] Channel 9 was the company's first blog.

It was named after the United Airlines audio channel that lets airplane passengers listen to the cockpit's conversations unhindered; the site published conversations among Microsoft developers, rather than its chairman Bill Gates, who had historically been the "face" of Microsoft.

[3] The Channel 9 team produced interviews with Bill Gates, Erik Meijer, and Mark Russinovich.

[4] The move was completed on December 1, effectively rendering the original site defunct.

The site once hosted discussion forums,[6] as well as a wiki based on Microsoft's own FlexWiki.