Channel 4 could possibly be bought off as quickly as subsequent 12 months, with the federal government planning to launch a proper session into the broadcaster’s privatisation inside weeks.
Final month, the tradition secretary, Oliver Dowden, confirmed it might transfer to privatise Channel 4 by the top of the present parliament to “present a sustainable future for the broadcaster”, however on Thursday the Monetary Instances reported {that a} choice could possibly be made by the top of this 12 months.
John Whittingdale, the tradition minister with duty for broadcast coverage, will oversee the session.
He first advocated for the 38-year-old channel’s privatisation in 1996. The federal government additionally thought of a sell-off when Whittingdale was tradition secretary in 2015 however finally backed down.
The intention is to move laws to implement the modifications by the top of 2022, based on sources accustomed to the discussions, the FT reported.
Throughout a gathering of the digital, tradition, media and sport choose committee in Might, Dowden repeated that the privatisation of Channel 4 was “on the desk” as a part of a authorities evaluation of public service broadcasting first introduced in October 2020.
He stated a sale was not particular however that the “quickly altering broadcasting panorama”, with the expansion of Netflix and Amazon Prime, meant sweeping modifications have been attainable.
When requested immediately if Channel 4 could possibly be privatised earlier than the top of this parliament, Dowden answered: “Now we have not dominated that out, no.”
Final 12 months Whittingdale stated: “Not like the BBC, Channel 4 survives as an advertising-funded mannequin. With the arrival of the streamers and different competing companies that mannequin is underneath appreciable pressure.
“We do want to consider Channel 4 and whether or not there may be nonetheless a necessity for a second publicly owned public service broadcaster, or what perform it ought to fulfil. And that’s one thing we’re giving lots of thought to.”
Channel 4 was launched in 1982 as a publicly owned, commercially funded public service broadcaster.
It doesn’t obtain public funding however is finally owned by the federal government, with all cash going again into the broadcaster, which commissions all of its programmes from impartial producers.
The broadcaster noticed off a earlier bid by the federal government to drive it to maneuver its headquarters outdoors London, as an alternative agreeing to arrange three regional bases in Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow.
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