Channel 4 logo (Ian West/PA)
(Picture: PA Archive)The rumoured privatisation of Channel 4 was finally announced last night after months of speculation, with even some among the Tories themselves feeling that the sale may be an act of political retribution for what they feel has been biased coverage against the government. Conservative MP Julian Knight suggested on Twitter that the timing of the announcement at 7pm on Monday to coincide with the beginning of Channel 4’s news programme was significant in itself, with politicians and commentators from across the board expressing their unhappiness with the sale.
Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson added to the chorus of condemnation by saying the announcement marked the “opposite of levelling up”.
In a tweet, Baroness Davidson added: “Channel 4 is publicly-owned, not publicly-funded. It doesn’t cost the taxpayer a penny.
“It also, by charter, commissions content but doesn’t make/own its own. It’s one of the reasons we have such a thriving indy sector in places like Glasgow.”
Former culture secretary Jeremy Hunt told Times Radio he is “uneasy” about the Channel 4 privatisation, however, the current Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries argued that government ownership was “holding Channel 4 back from competing against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon”.
Ms Dorries added that: “I will seek to reinvest the proceeds of the sale into levelling up the creative sector, putting money into independent production and creative skills in priority parts of the country – delivering a creative dividend for all.”
What do you think about the news that Channel 4 is to be privatised? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below for the chance to be featured on the ES website tomorrow.
