The ITC and its duties were later replaced by Ofcom, which like its predecessor is responsible for appointing the corporation's board, in agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

In March 2010, Channel Four Television Corporation and its chief executive were criticised by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for breaking service commitments, a lack of transparency in accounting for digital channels, poor governance and failed investments.

[11] Channel Four Television Corporation was considered for privatisation by the governments of Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair.

[12] In 2014, the Cameron-Clegg coalition government drew up proposals to privatise the corporation but the sale was blocked by the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable.

[14] In April 2022, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport acknowledged that ministerial discussions were taking place regarding the sale of Channel Four Television Corporation.

The channel's chief executive, Alex Mahon, expressed disappointment at this, saying that its vision for the future was "rooted in continued public ownership".

On the conversion of the Wenvoe transmitter in Wales to digital on 31 March 2010, Channel 4 gained UK-wide coverage.

FilmFour Weekly closed in July 2006, when the main, newly named Film4 channel went free-to-view and became available on digital terrestrial.

The adverts featured Lucy Liu, Christian Slater, Ewan McGregor, Judi Dench, Gael García Bernal, Willem Dafoe, Mackenzie Crook, Rhys Ifans, and Ray Winstone declaring "Film4 is now free" in various situations across London.

E4, a digital entertainment channel previously available on the Internet, with a target age range of 16–34, was launched on 18 January 2001.

It features premières of US imports and supplementary footage for programmes on its main channel (most notably extended Big Brother coverage).

Launched on 16 November 2006 as 4oD, the service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4 or from their archives.

As part of the restructure, much of the 4Ventures management team either left the company—former chief executive (and Channel 4 commercial director) Rob Woodward, and managing director Anmar Kawash took similar posts at STV Group plc—‚or transferred to other posts within Channel 4.

In 2007, the UK-based independent distribution group Digital Rights Group (DRG) announced an intention to buy Channel 4 International (adding it to Zeal and ID Distribution among its other companies), following a review by Channel 4 of its commercial division.

Notable successes include The Madness of King George, The Crying Game, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Trainspotting.

Channel Four was the leading member of the 4 Digital Group consortium, which included Bauer Radio, BSkyB and UTV as partners.

Channel Four originally licensed an ancillary teletext service to provide schedules, programme information and features.

[34] Channel Four is overseen by a chairman and run on an operational basis by a chief executive, whose role can be compared to that of the Director-General of the BBC.

[35] Twin four-storey office blocks arranged in an L shape are connected by a curved front with a dramatic concave glazed wall.

The studio was closed at the end of October 2007 and only the post-production operation remains, managed by Ericsson Broadcast and Media Services.

[37] In September 2021, 200 staff moved into several floors of the Majestic, a former cinema in Leeds city centre which had been renovated by Rushbond.

The Big 4 is designed by FreeState[41] The structure replicates the channel's 2004–2015 idents, in which the "4" logo is formed only when viewed from a particular angle.