Govt looks at ‘business case’ for Channel 4 privatisation and scrapping BBC licence fee
The UK Government is currently reconsidering its plan to privatise Channel 4 as well as scrapping the BBC licence fee.
Culture secretary Michelle Donelan said she was currently “looking at the business case” for the sale of the state-owned broadcaster.
“I’m the type of politician that bases their decisions on evidence, that bases their decisions on listening and that’s what I will be doing over the coming weeks,” she told BBC’s Today programme on Tuesday.
“I will take that approach when it comes to Channel 4 and every aspect of my brief.”
Started by Boris Johnson’s government earlier this year, the sale of Channel 4 attracted widespread criticism, from both politicians and media stakeholders.
Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries pushed back after critics accused her of lobbying for privatisation as a “revenge” over the network’s Brexit and Boris Johnson coverage.
Dorries always maintained the move was not about ideology but Channel 4’s future, City PM reported.
Donelan also said she was looking into the BBC licence fee, declining to say whether it should be scrapped.
“It is no secret that I have been a long-term sceptic of the licence fee and that we need to make sure that the BBC is sustainable in the long term,” she added. “So I’m looking at this in the round.”
Initially announced by Dorries in January, scrapping the BBC licence fee would leave the broadcaster with a gaping hole in its finances.
The public network said earlier this month it couldn’t rule out further cuts, after announcing the merger of BBC World News and BBC News.
The broadcaster published earlier this month five principles which would need to be considered to underpin its existence as a national and global network.
This include providing a universal public service to the UK, championing free democracy a fair system as well as supporting innovation and talent.
City PM has approached Channel 4, the BBC and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport for comment.