Government planning to Sell Channel 4

[Brekkie]

I think that is a fair comment as there is no love lost between some indies and C4 and I think a view that if you get in with one show you're favoured for more shows based more on a working relationship rather than the strength of the show and the history of what you've produced.

[Omnipresent]

Channel 4 has published its full response to the Government’s consultation:

http:// https://assets-corporate.channel...ble%29.pdf

Will be interesting to see if there’s an official response from the BBC or if they decide it’s politically safer to stay out of it.

[valley]

Interesting to hear what Sky CEO Dana Strong said today.

https://twitter.com/nmsonline/status/143...9365015553

[L1]

Well Oliver Dowden (Culture Sec) has been moved from DCMS so perhaps we might see some change in the govt's position on C4? He has been very firm in saying the status-quo is untentable regarding C4

[all new Phil]

Well Oliver Dowden (Culture Sec) has been moved from DCMS so perhaps we might see some change in the govt's position on C4? He has been very firm in saying the status-quo is untentable regarding C4

Replaced by Nadine Dorries. Can’t imagine a huge shift to be honest.

[Newshound47]

Well Oliver Dowden (Culture Sec) has been moved from DCMS so perhaps we might see some change in the govt's position on C4? He has been very firm in saying the status-quo is untentable regarding C4

Replaced by Nadine Dorries. Can’t imagine a huge shift to be honest.

The telegraph are saying it will see the cultures wars intensified.

[Adsales101]

Well that’s C4’s fate sealed then. She’ll probably sell it off to Discovery with GBN being part of the deal to be turned into the official anti-woke government news channel.

[Omnipresent]

It’s significantly worse for both the BBC and Channel 4.

Oliver Dowden was often accused of merely being a puppet for Dougie Smith and Munira Mirza in Number 10.

Nadine will no doubt make a lot of noise and her views on the BBC and C4 are well known.

The question is whether she will be able to get a handle on the more dry and detailed policy areas.

[Inspector Sands]

Her views on a lot of things are well known...
https://twitter.com/NadineDorries/status...05281?s=19

[Brekkie]

If someone with such historic tweets was appearing on a reality show they'd be articles all over the press calling for them to be "cancelled". Culture Secretary though - that's fine.

This feels like an appointment to push the sale through.

[Inspector Sands]

If someone with such historic tweets was appearing on a reality show they'd be articles all over the press calling for them to be "cancelled". Culture Secretary though - that's fine.

You say that but since writing that Tweet she has appeared on reality TV, she was on the 2012 series of I'm a Celebrity

[Newshound47]

If someone with such historic tweets was appearing on a reality show they'd be articles all over the press calling for them to be "cancelled". Culture Secretary though - that's fine.

This feels like an appointment to push the sale through.

There has been recent talk of Paul Dacre finally getting appointed as Chair of Ofcom as well.

[Brekkie]

John Whittingdale, the architect of these plans, has left his job in the DCMS.

[scottishtv]

From The Sunday Times piece (paywalled) today on the cabinet re-shuffle:

The removal of John Whittingdale, a keen advocate of the privatisation of Channel 4, as minister of state now calls that plan into question. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Boris just ditches that,” said someone who knows Johnson well. “It’s not that popular with the backbenchers, unlike bashing the BBC. I can see No 10 deciding that’s not a fight worth having.”

No 10 sources say the move does not signal an intention to change direction but it is understood that the public consultation has led to enough opposition to give Dorries the political cover to ditch it.

Their political editor is usually pretty well-placed with regards to sources, but we know that things change pretty quick within Government. Interesting that this is being commented upon though (in a piece that was largely about the other appointments).

[msim]

Privitising Ch4 has little merit for the government. Ideologically they of course want it, but it's small fry and not worth the political energy right now. Ch4 operates as a minor player, costs the exchequer nothing and it's sale won't raise much. As said, it's not not a big issue for backbenchers and won't do much for the government's culture wars.

No, the bigger thing the government desperately wants is Dacre in at OfCom. Get him in there at all costs (despite the OfCom board tossing out his useless application) and you've got someone in place that will be more than happy to rip up rules around impartiality for channels like whatever Murdoch is bringing in, as well as kicking both the BBC and Ch4 to undermine public trust/value in them.