Channel 9 (Microsoft)

Channel 9 is a Microsoft website for hosting videos and podcasts that Microsoft employees create.[1]

Channel 9

Channel 9 homepage
Type of site	Video hosting, podcasting
Available in	English
Created by	Microsoft
URL	channel9.msdn.com
Registration	Optional
Launched	April, 2004
Current status	Active

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 website publishes conversations among Microsoft developers, rather than its chairman Bill Gates who had previously been the "face" of Microsoft.[2] This made it an inexpensive alternative to Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference, then the main public platform where customers and outside developers could speak to Microsoft employees without the intervention of the company's PR department.[3] The Channel 9 team have produced interviews with Bill Gates, Erik Meijer and Mark Russinovich.

Channel 9, however, is not a community website and does not host any content made by the community.[1] This has not always been the case. The site once hosted discussion forums,[4] as well as a wiki based on Microsoft's own FlexWiki. The wiki had been used to provide ad hoc feedback to Microsoft teams, such as the Internet Explorer team.[5]