Channel 4

Ministers hope to raise £1bn from sell-off ending broadcaster's 40 years in public ownership.

“The proposal to privatise Channel 4 will require a lengthy legislative process and political debate. “Channel 4 remains legally committed to its unique public-service remit. It will cost jobs and opportunities in the north and Yorkshire, and hit the wider British creative economy.” A formal consultation on whether to privatise Channel 4 was launched last year and attracted more than 60,000 submissions, with independent television production companies putting up a particularly fierce opposition. Despite this, the government has argued Channel 4 is too small to survive in the long term when competing against global streaming companies for programmes. “In our engagement with the government during its extended period of reflection, we have proposed a vision for the next 40 years which we are confident would allow us to build on the successes of the first 40.

Ministers claim the advertising-funded public broadcaster is being 'held back' by its public ownership, but critics say a sale could water down its content ...

The channel also championed American football, becoming the first UK station to broadcast the Super Bowl live in 1983. With the creative industries amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, and continuing to face a chronic skills shortage, there is no worse time to introduce such uncertainty, particularly for independent producers.” The first edition of Channel 4 News was aired later that evening, the UK’s only hour-long news programme. “Channel 4 remains legally committed to its unique public-service remit. It isn’t too late for the Government to think again.” The move will require fresh legislation as Channel 4’s unique position as a publicly-owned, commercially-funded broadcaster is enshrined in law.

Ministers have decided after a consultation to go ahead with a sale though the broadcaster said it was disappointed with the decision and Labour described ...

"We will of course continue to engage with DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), government and parliament, and do everything we can to ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain's creative ecology and national life." Channel 4 will remain a public service broadcaster and the government will ensure it "continues to make an important social, economic and cultural contribution to the UK" including a commitment to prime time news. Confirming the sale, Ms Dorries said: "A change of ownership will give Channel 4 the tools and freedom to flourish and thrive as a public service broadcaster long into the future."

Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government's decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the ...

With the creative industries amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, and continuing to face a chronic skills shortage, there is no worse time to introduce such uncertainty, particularly for independent producers.” It isn’t too late for the Government to think again.” She said: “Selling off Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the tax-payer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism. Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government’s decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised”. Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government’s decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised”. The Government, which currently owns the channel, has been consulting on whether to privatise the broadcaster following concerns for its survival in the streaming era.

Tory MP joins backlash, saying Margaret Thatcher would oppose "very unconservative" sell-off.

Of all the issues the public wants action on, the governance of Channel 4 isn’t one.” She said: “Selling off Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the tax-payer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism. Damian Green, Tory MP and a former Cabinet minister, said: “The sale of Channel 4 is politicians and civil servants thinking they know more about how to run a business than the people who run it.

Channel 4 has proposed a vision for privatization and the sale will be pursued up to around £1B ($1.3B), according to The Times. The suggestion was first made ...

The spokesperson added, “The proposal to privatise Channel 4 will require a lengthy legislative process and political debate. “With over 60,000 submissions to the government’s public consultation, it is disappointing that today’s announcement has been made without formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised,” said a Channel 4 spokesperson. As such, a sale has been strongly opposed by the UK’s production community, many of whom are reliant on Channel 4’s publisher-broadcaster model.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries added in a tweet that she wanted the broadcaster to remain a “cherished place in British life”, but felt that Government ...

Why do they want to make the UK’s great TV industry worse? Bids from Sky, Channel 5 owner Paramount, Amazon and Netflix are also possible. But still they go ahead. The broadcaster said that it will continue to engage with the Government during the legislative process and plans to do everything it can to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”.

Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government's decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the ...

With the creative industries amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, and continuing to face a chronic skills shortage, there is no worse time to introduce such uncertainty, particularly for independent producers.” It isn’t too late for the Government to think again.” She said: “Selling off Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the tax-payer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. Other ministers have not been as supportive of the announcement, with Tory MP Sir Peter Bottomley saying he opposes the privatisation as he feels it is “bad for the diversity of television, bad for viewers and bad for independent producers”. The channel explained that it presented the Government with an alternative to privatisation that would “safeguard its future financial stability” and allow it to do more for the public, creative industries and the economy.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries added in a tweet that she wanted the broadcaster to remain a “cherished place in British life”, but felt that Government ...

Why do they want to make the UK’s great TV industry worse? Bids from Sky, Channel 5 owner Paramount, Amazon and Netflix are also possible. But still they go ahead. The broadcaster said that it will continue to engage with the Government during the legislative process and plans to do everything it can to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries added in a tweet that she wanted the broadcaster to remain a “cherished place in British life”, but felt that Government ...

Why do they want to make the UK’s great TV industry worse? Bids from Sky, Channel 5 owner Paramount, Amazon and Netflix are also possible. But still they go ahead. The broadcaster said that it will continue to engage with the Government during the legislative process and plans to do everything it can to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”.

As the government presses ahead with the sale, what is the broadcaster worth and who would buy it?

While it has rights to show programmes on linear TV and on its streaming services in the UK, the broadcaster does not own the rights to commercialise those shows around the world. Ultimately, it was decided that the benefits of a cash windfall to the government were outweighed by the scale of the detrimental impact on the independent TV sector. However, ITV has been lobbying Whitehall about the possibility of a “national champion” takeover, designed to take the political fallout of yet another buyout of a UK “crown jewel” by a foreign owner.

The broadcaster could be put up for bid from the spring of 2023, with foreign ownership possible.

Why do they want to make the UK’s great TV industry worse? Bids from Sky, Channel 5 owner Paramount, Amazon and Netflix are also possible. But still they go ahead. The broadcaster said that it will continue to engage with the Government during the legislative process and plans to do everything it can to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”.

Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government's decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the ...

With the creative industries amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, and continuing to face a chronic skills shortage, there is no worse time to introduce such uncertainty, particularly for independent producers.” It isn’t too late for the Government to think again.” She said: “Selling off Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the tax-payer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism. Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government’s decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised”. Channel 4 has said it is “disappointed” at the Government’s decision to proceed with plans to privatise the broadcaster without “formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised”. The Government, which currently owns the channel, has been consulting on whether to privatise the broadcaster following concerns for its survival in the streaming era.

The broadcaster could be put up for bid from the spring of 2023, with foreign ownership possible.

Why do they want to make the UK’s great TV industry worse? Bids from Sky, Channel 5 owner Paramount, Amazon and Netflix are also possible. But still they go ahead. The broadcaster said that it will continue to engage with the Government during the legislative process and plans to do everything it can to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”.

Creators of shows like The Thick Of It and It's A Sin have lashed out at the move.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. The channel explained that it presented the Government with an alternative to privatisation that would “safeguard its future financial stability” and allow it to do more for the public, creative industries and the economy. Ms Mahon also said in the internal email to staff that they had proposed a “vision for the next 40 years” which was rooted in “continued public ownership” and “built upon the huge amount of public value this model has delivered to date and the opportunity to deliver so much more in the future”. However, she added that ultimately the ownership of the channel was for the “Government to propose and Parliament to decide” and that her priority now was to “look after all of you and the wonderful Channel 4 spirit”. The broadcaster said that it will continue to engage with the Government during the legislative process and plans to do everything it can to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. What have other critics of the move said? A statement by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said it had made the decision to allow the channel to “thrive in the face of a rapidly-changing media landscape” while a Government source said the move would “remove Channel 4’s straitjacket”. A spokesperson for Channel 4 said it was “disappointed” with the decision, but would “continue to engage” with the Government on the process to “ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life”. The statement said: “With over 60,000 submissions to the Government’s public consultation, it is disappointing that today’s announcement has been made without formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised." “Everything in the Channel 4 constitution presently is against that and therefore it will, in my view, in a very short time really begin to struggle.” Foreign ownership has not been ruled out, as long as the regulator Ofcom’s “fit and proper” test for ownership is passed, according to reports. The DCMS said further details will be announced “shortly”. Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon said “there will now be a long process ahead”, writing to staff in an internal email on Monday that it could take 18 months or more for the required legislation to pass through the House of Commons and then Lords. “During that time, we’ll continue to work with DCMS and Government, and with our supporters across the industry to make the arguments to ensure that Channel 4 can continue to deliver its remit,” she said. A statement by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) said it had made the decision to allow the channel to “thrive in the face of a rapidly-changing media landscape” while a Government source said the move would “remove Channel 4’s straitjacket”. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries added in a tweet that she wanted the broadcaster to remain a “cherished place in British life”, but felt that Government ownership was “holding Channel 4 back from competing against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon”. She said: “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.” The Government source told the PA news agency: “C4 is a great business with a strong brand built around it being creative, innovative and distinctive but a change of ownership will remove its straitjacket, giving C4 the freedom to innovate and grow so it can flourish and thrive long into the future and support the whole of the UK creative industries.” The Government has also argued that a sale could allow the channel, which has limited ability to borrow money or raise private sector capital to invest in new platforms and products and cannot own and sell its own content, to establish its own production house and generate its own intellectual property.

TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan took to social media on Monday, sharing news of the privatisation by posting on Twitter an email from Alex Mahon, CEO of ...

Channel 4 has released a statement after culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, announced that she would push ahead with plans to privatise the broadcaster.

We will of course continue to engage with DCMS, Government and Parliament, and do everything we can to ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life.” Lucy Powell, Labour’s shadow culture secretary, said “Selling off Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the tax-payer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism. Dorries has stated that proceeds from a future sale, which could raise £1bn, would be put towards “levelling up the creative sector.

Chief executive Alex Mahon has written to staff informing them that the DCMS is to proceed with its proposal to put the broadcaster into private hands, ...

It will cost jobs & opportunities in Yorkshire and hit our creative economy.” Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell tweeted: ”Nothing screams a rudderless government more than this. “It is very important at this moment to remain focused on the brilliant work you all do, every single day, to make Channel 4 such an amazing broadcaster and such a phenomenal place to work.”

Latest updates: Labour's shadow culture secretary says move to privatise Channel 4 will hurt jobs and creative industries.

Ultimately, it was decided that the benefits of a cash windfall to the government were outweighed by the scale of the detrimental impact on the independent TV sector. That was led by the then culture secretary John Whittingdale, who is also overseeing the government’s latest push towards privatisation. However, ITV has been lobbying Whitehall about the possibility of a “national champion” takeover, designed to take the political fallout of yet another buyout of a UK “crown jewel” by a foreign owner.

The government is facing a backlash from senior Conservatives over its plan to privatise Channel 4, as Boris Johnson was warned that Margaret Thatcher would ...

Well, if that’s spent effectively, that will be a good thing.” Senior Tory backbencher Tom Tugendhat told Times Radio he was “pretty doubtful” about controversial the move. And I think it would be a shame to lose that.” A spokesperson for the broadcaster said it was “disappointed” with the decision but would “continue to engage” with the government to ensure Channel 4 “continues to play its unique part” in Britain’s creative life. It’s the same agenda as attacking the licence fee.” Ms Byrne said Ms Dorries “doesn’t know very much about the broadcasting sector”. The former Channel 4 news boss also said Ms Thatcher “invented Channel 4 in order to invent the independent production company sector which has made billions for this country”.

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High-profile politicians and media figures have slammed the UK government's plan to privatize It's A Sin broadcaster Channel 4.

“This is particularly important given that the organisation is only two years into a significant commitment to drive up its impact in the UK’s Nations and Regions.” Channel 4 released a statement saying it was disappointed the government had made its announcement without “formally recognising significant” public interest concerns. It isn’t too late for the government to think again.” It doesn’t cost the tax payer a penny,” she tweeted. Wrong decision by the government.” Why do they want to make the UK’s great TV industry worse?

Ruth Davidson, Damian Green and Jeremy Hunt among those calling on the government to reconsider.

It will cost jobs and opportunities in the north and Yorkshire, and hit the wider British creative economy.” Green pointed out the channel was founded by a Conservative government, with part of its remit being to boost Britain’s private sector television sector: “The sale of Channel 4 is politicians and civil servants thinking they know more about how to run a business than the people who run it. Ministers have suggested they could spend the proceeds to boost creative training and independent production companies, essentially funding their levelling up agenda. It doesn’t cost the taxpayer a penny. It’s one of the reasons we have such a thriving [independent] sector in places like Glasgow. This is the opposite of levelling up.” Another Tory who criticised the proposed sale was the father of the house, Peter Bottomley, who said it was “bad for the diversity of television, bad for viewers and bad for independent producers”.

ITV has emerged as an early front-runner to buy the broadcaster, though any deal may face competition concerns.

Those big streaming giants can simply go to the production companies to make the content, rather than buying Channel 4.” “TV is now a global game and content is the key ingredient for success. Amazon, Netflix and Channel 5 owner Viacom are mentioned as other potential bidders, though they may be put off by the public broadcasting requirements.

Julian Knight has questioned if the Government's plans to forge forward with the privatisation of Channel 4 are “revenge”, adding that many Tories believe ...

If this is in the media bill I will support the Government. Finally, these are my views not those of the committee more generally.” Privatisation – even for some wrong reasons – can work for C4 but must be part of a thorough overhaul of all public service broadcasting. Programming for public good not private profit. The money is irrelevant – equivalent to four days’ national debt interest – so it must be used to support skills in creative sectors. “However, this is a big risk. In a string of tweets, the MP addressed what he said was the “elephant in the room time” as he tweeted: “Is this being done for revenge for Channel 4’s biased coverage of the likes of Brexit and personal attacks on the PM? The timing of the announcement 7pm, coinciding with Channel 4 news, was very telling…”.

The decision to sell off Channel 4 looks like it will play out the same way as most of the Government's other vaguely culture war-y stuff: generate lots of ...

The sale of Channel 4 is basically fine, but uninspiring. A straight sale is simply a different form of reflexive Thatcherism; it gives the impression of action, and raises some cash, without ministers having to make any substantial decisions about how public service broadcasting should work or what it should compass. He goes on, at fairly damning length – a view which perhaps explains why he is less fearful than others about the impact of privatisation on the broadcaster’s operations.

Sky, ITV, Discovery and Paramount may be interested if the terms are right – and none of them would want it in the hands of any other.

Instead, it is of most value to rival broadcasters – such as Sky, ITV, Discovery and Channel 5’s parent company, Paramount – none of which would want to see it fall into the clutches of the other. “ITV and Sky/Channel 5 are worried that they will lose pricing leverage because of a loss of scale. Even when making the case for privatising the channel, government sources have been happy to admit that Channel 4 is currently in a strong financial position. Analysts believe that a profit-hunting new owner would still be able to make hefty cuts to Channel 4’s programming budget, which would ultimately affect the quality of on-screen content, while fulfilling the letter of the law on public service broadcasting requirements. “The government has to decide what it is selling. This is the antithesis of a golden ticket for private equity investors, who want to cut costs and boost profit margins.

Channel 4 launched with Countdown in 1982 and has gone on to forge a path as a platform for breaking boundaries, thanks to shows such as Big Breakfast and ...

Channel 4 is obliged to offer news, current affairs, documentaries, all kinds of programmes which are made with a very distinctive British voice. Russell T Davies, the creator and writer of It's A Sin, has previously said privatising Channel 4 would be a "great crime" that would result in programmes like his hit series not being made. Privatisation will be the death knell of its creativity and fierce independence." "A programme like It's A Sin would struggle to get programmed on a privatised Channel 4," he said. The government has argued that the broadcaster's long-term future needs to be secured amid concerns for its survival in the streaming era, with Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries saying its ownership is holding it back. As a channel that has pushed boundaries, will a sale lead to it losing its edge?

In its 40 years on air, Channel 4 has played a crucial role in nurturing talent, bolstering indie film and commissioning important stories.

Outside of investigative journalism and destroying social taboos, one of Channel 4’s greatest successes has been in the arena of British comedy. After a few weeks, it was viewed in its entirety more than 6.5 million times, making it the most binge-watched show to stream on Channel 4. It is vaguely reminiscent of the short-lived Wank Week, a season of TV programmes about masturbation set to launch by Channel 4 in 2007. In a taste of what was to come, the first show aired on the channel was Countdown, soon to become a beloved British staple. If you’ve recently found yourself slipping back into the grungy sartorial tones of the Noughties, you might have Channel 4 to thank for that too. Millions tuned in on a Thursday lunchtime to watch his housemates confront him around the dining table on day 35. Another show unafraid to cover various taboo subjects rarely seen on British TV, such as eating disorders and incest, it quickly became a staple in the British soap opera landscape. 1998 saw the launch of Film4, Channel 4’s film branch. That was until stockbroker Nicholas Bateman decided to spice things up in the house, lying to his housemates and manipulating their nominations with secret handwritten notes. And in its 39-year history, Film4 films have produced 144 Oscar nominations and 37 wins. Now, in a move that has been branded as “cultural vandalism”, the Government is pushing ahead with long-discussed plans to privatise the public service broadcaster. The move has also been criticised by Labour, with Lucy Powell, the Shadow Secretary for Digital, Culture Media and Sport tweeting: “Nothing screams a rudderless government more than this.

Even allowing for the UK broadcaster's tendency to hoard cash, only the boldest private equity buyers would be interested.

Presenter Kirstie Allsopp said Margaret Thatcher 'will be spinning in her grave'. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 27, 2022: A campaigner wearing a mask of.

Any Tory MP who votes for this is a traitor to their party and country.” “The sale of Channel 4 is politicians and civil servants thinking they know more about how to run a business than the people who run it. “Occasionally, we as a country manage to magic up a world-renowned gem into being and Channel 4 is a perfect example. Wrong decision by the govt.” Channel 4 is at the forefront of levelling up, investigative journalism and nurturing new talent,” he wrote on Twitter. Kirstie Allsopp, best known for presenting Channel 4’s property show Location, Location Location said: “This is a load of utter twaddle! Yet happy to privatise Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the public a penny. It’s the same agenda as attacking the licence fee. Selling all our stuff?” It doesn’t cost the tax payer a penny. It’s one of the reasons we have such a thriving indy sector in places like Glasgow. This is the opposite of levelling up,” she wrote on Twitter. I’ll be listening but I’m pretty doubtful,” he said.

We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Channel Four Television Corp news every morning. Launched by Margaret Thatcher almost 40 years ...

Analysis: why ministers are risking political capital pushing ahead now with privatisation plan is unclear.

John McVay, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “Selling it off now risks reducing the opportunities for independent producers and reducing the amount of programming commissioned outside London – levelling down, not levelling up.” That’s despite Channel 4’s bosses, the independent television production companies who make its shows, and a significant number of Tory politicians all insisting that the channel is financially sustainable. The other stated reason is that ministers and officials have concluded that while Channel 4 is currently a success, its continued reliance on revenue from traditional television broadcasts means it is ultimately doomed without a deep-pocketed backer.

The government has announced that it wants to privatise Channel 4, which broadcasts programmes including Gogglebox, Countdown and acclaimed drama such as ...

What's more, it could earn money by making shows for other broadcasters around the world - as BBC Studios and ITV Studios do. Certain conditions could be written into the sale - such as that Channel 4 must still spend a certain portion of its budget with independent producers, or show a certain amount of news per day, or make a certain amount of programmes outside London. However, the move has already met with criticism from Labour and some Conservative MPs, including the former culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, who told Sky News: "As it stands, Channel Four provides competition to the BBC on what's called public service broadcasting - the kinds of programmes that are not commercially viable - and I think it'd be a shame to lose that." Kirstie Allsopp, who hosts Channel 4's long-running property programme Location, Location, Location, said on Twitter: "Profit will be king and the passion & inclusion of Channel 4 will be lost." The culture secretary said that proceeds from the sale of Channel 4 would be reinvested into independent production, "delivering a creative dividend for all". "There are constraints that come with public ownership, and a new owner could bring access and benefits, including access to capital, to strategic partnerships and to the international markets," the government said when it launched a consultation into the move last July.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries' announcement that she is pushing ahead with controversial plans to privatise Channel 4 is another ideological swipe at a ...

Channel 4 costs the UK tax payer precisely nothing, yet gives us a thriving independent production sector, thousands of jobs and world-renowned, innovative content. With the creative industries amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, and continuing to face a chronic skills shortage, there is no worse time to introduce such uncertainty, particularly for independent producers. The broadcaster is a major success story, consistently pushing the boundaries of entertainment and thought-provoking content for British audiences.

Why is the government intent on ruining our world-leading TV industry, asks Royal Television Society vice-president Armando Iannucci.

But again and again, the government takes one look at our public service broadcasting, something of which we should be proud, and jabs away at it, cutting it here, attacking it there, talking about “reining it in”, asking it to “watch out”, as it would a surly child, rather than the rather tremendous economic and cultural achievement it actually is. The lack of surprise was because we’ve learned that when the government says it’s keen to have a debate on public service broadcasting, we know it’s keen to have no such thing. Shock because (and this was the theme of the vast majority of respondents to the government’s request for submissions to the “debate” it was keen to have about the network) the channel was a financial and creative success, and still costs the taxpayer absolutely nothing.