Channel 4 privatisation plans delayed amid growing backlash November 7, 2021 The proposed sale of Channel 4 has met delays after the new culture secretary Nadine Dorries was inundated by a spate of opposition against the move, according to reports. Around 60,000 submissions related to the sale of Channel 4, which is state-owned but independently funded through advertising revenue, were sent to the government, according to [...]
Budget: Scrap £159 BBC licence fee and sell Channel 4, urges TaxPayers’ Alliance October 26, 2021 The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has called for the sale of Channel 4 and the scrapping of the BBC licence fee ahead of the Budget this week. The campaign group has also proposed that most of the BBC should be sold off and the corporation cut down to one television channel, radio station and online service. [...]
Tory MP who married on Channel 4’s Bride And Prejudice TV show comes out as bisexual October 11, 2021 The Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland has come out as bisexual, saying her sexuality is not a big deal and “just part of who I am”. Dehenna Davison, who was elected as the Red Wall turned blue said she is “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love” after publicly saying she is bisexual. The 28-year-old was [...]
New ‘Britishness’ requirements for public service broadcasters set out by Govt September 16, 2021 Plans to protect “distinctively British” shows and broadcasters have been set out by the Media Minister today at the Royal Television Society Convention. Media Minister John Whittingdale announced the new rules for public service broadcasters (PSBs) to make “iconic, not generic” British shows in a bid to help them compete with US streaming giants. The [...]
Dowden defends Channel 4 privatisation push as ‘needed’ to fend off streaming giants September 15, 2021 UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden has restated his view that changing Channel 4’s ownership is the best path for the channel, in the latest sign that the government intends to push forward with plans to privatise the state-owned broadcaster. Speaking publicly for the first time since the government launched a consultation on the future of [...]
JP Morgan takes charge of Channel 4’s road to privatisation September 15, 2021 The government has appointed banking giant JP Morgan to provide advice on Channel 4’s future following a consultation into the possible privatisation of the public broadcaster. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is understood to have approved the American investment bank to provide corporate finance advice on the broadcaster’s remit, ownership and obligations. The appointment has not [...]
Channel 4 agrees late deal with Amazon Prime to air Emma Raducanu’s US Open final September 11, 2021 Emma Raducanu’s US Open final against Leylah Fernandez will be aired live for free on Channel 4 after the broadcaster agreed a last-minute deal with Amazon Prime. The 18-year-old is the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final since Virginia Wade, who played at Wimbledon, in 1977. Amazon Prime Video had exclusive [...]
Privatising Channel 4 ‘may destroy what is special’ about broadcaster, warns TV boss August 26, 2021 Privatising Channel 4 risks destroying what is “special” about the broadcaster, its chief content officer has said. The Government is currently consulting on plans to privatise the channel. However Ian Katz, chief content officer at Channel 4, questioned the logic behind a potential sale. Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, he said: “Pretty much to [...]
Channel 4 launches real-time digital ad bidding amid privatisation threat August 23, 2021 Channel 4 is rolling out technology that will allow advertisers to bid for ad space on its streaming service in real time as the state-owned broadcaster battles the threat of privatisation. The Gogglebox broadcaster has launched a new platform that enables ad space to be auctioned in milliseconds across All 4’s 14,500 hours of programming. [...]
Channel 4 chair hits back at ‘very harmful’ privatisation plans July 20, 2021 Channel 4’s chairman has hit back at the government’s plans to privatise the broadcaster, saying such a step would be “very harmful” to viewers and risk thousands of jobs. Last month it emerged that the government is preparing a consultation into the privatisation of the broadcaster. But in a letter to culture secretary Oliver Dowden, [...]