Channel 4

Channel 4 has always put a lot of pride in its online home, to the extent that it risked collapsing under the weight of its content. Fortunately, the broadcaster has now opted for a more minimal approach, stripping its homepage of ads and condensing the lengthy category list into four simple options. Along with TV listings and programme guides, there’s a link to free catch-up service 4oD, which you can now watch online in your web browser without needing to download any software. The lifestyle features that once dominated the site are now placed under the Explore option, while the photo-led design is much less cramped and confusing.

Reviewed: Issue 212 (23 April 2009)