Adam Martyn on the 'crazy chaotic' launch of Channel 5

The Crazy Chaotic Launch of Channel 5

In 1997, Channel 5 was launched in the UK. It was the first new terrestrial channel in 25 years and it had a massive marketing campaign headed by The Spice Girls, the biggest girl band at the time. Adam Martyn chronicled the channels origins and why it was almost a financial disaster due to technical constraints—some channels couldn’t tune into it for months and it cost millions to get aerials sorted out.

I wonder who would lead the promo for a proverbial “Channel 6” in 2024. Coldplay? Dua Lipa? Lewis Capaldi? Charli XCX? The Spice Girls again?

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