<P> Since 1957 ITV had produced schools programming, which became an obligation . In 1987, five years after the station was launched, the IBA afforded ITV free carriage of these programmes during Channel 4's then - unused weekday morning hours . This arrangement allowed the ITV companies to fulfil their obligation to provide schools programming, whilst allowing ITV itself to broadcast regular programmes complete with advertisements . During the times in which schools programmes were aired Central Television provided most of the continuity with play - out originating from Birmingham . </P> <P> After the restructuring of the station in 1993, ITV's obligations to provide such programming on Channel 4's airtime passed to Channel 4 itself, and the new service became Channel 4 Schools, with the new corporation administering the service and commissioning its programmes, some still from ITV, others from independent producers . </P> <P> In March 2008, the 4Leaning interactive new media commission slabovia.tv was launched . The Slabplayer online media player showing TV shows for teenagers was launched on 26 May 2008 . </P> <P> The schools programming has always had elements different to its normal presentational package . In 1993, the Channel 4 Schools idents featured famous people in one category, with light shining on them in front of an industrial looking setting supplemented by instrumental calming music . This changed in 1996 with the circles look to numerous children touching the screen, forming circles of information then picked up by other children . The last child would produce the channel 4 logo in the form of three vertical circles, with another in the middle and to the left containing the Channel 4 logo . </P>

When did the trial on channel 4 start