Channel Four to be privatised?

[kernelbogey]

The Guardian is reporting that the Government is considering privatising Channel Four.

[kernelbogey]

The Government repeatedly shuns requests to provide a spokesperson to Channel Four News: disgraceful cowardice, IMVHO.

So now let's stop it being a state-sponsored tv channel!

[cat]

Whenever I speak to anyone about Channel 4, they usually seem surprised when I tell them it's 51% state-owned.

Does it need to be? Can't they fit the public service remit into a set of obligations for whichever private operator takes the controlling stake?

[Serial_Apologist]

Whenever I speak to anyone about Channel 4, they usually seem surprised when I tell them it's 51% state-owned.

Does it need to be? Can't they fit the public service remit into a set of obligations for whichever private operator takes the controlling stake?

If it remains state-owned the question doesn't arise.

[Richard Barrett]

If it remains state-owned the question doesn't arise.

Exactly. So: let's list the advantages to the viewer of this privatisation, shall we? Can anyone think of any?

[LMcD]

Exactly. So: let's list the advantages to the viewer of this privatisation, shall we? Can anyone think of any?

Well, now ..... er .... um .... yes .... but then again .... (I'll get back to you if I think of any)

[oddoneout]

Whenever I speak to anyone about Channel 4, they usually seem surprised when I tell them it's 51% state-owned.

Does it need to be? Can't they fit the public service remit into a set of obligations for whichever private operator takes the controlling stake?

Obligations are all too easily dispensed with by various means, in fact it almost seems to be standard business practice these days. House building and sewage discharges spring to mind but I doubt it would take many minutes to come up with other examples.

[Dave2002]

Whenever I speak to anyone about Channel 4, they usually seem surprised when I tell them it's 51% state-owned.

Does it need to be? Can't they fit the public service remit into a set of obligations for whichever private operator takes the controlling stake?

I thought it was already “owned”/operated by a private/commercial organisation - maybe ITV. Presumably not. It’s probably best left as it is. I dislike the adverts, but I fear that those would only get worse with a change of operator or operations. How could it be improved?

[LHC]

I thought it was already “owned”/operated by a private/commercial organisation - maybe ITV. Presumably not. It’s probably best left as it is. I dislike the adverts, but I fear that those would only get worse with a change of operator or operations. How could it be improved?

When channel 4 was launched it took its public service remit rather more seriously than it appears to do so now. I can remember the joy each week of checking the TV listings to see which opera it was showing on the coming Sunday. One of the best was probably the film of Elektra, conducted by Karl Bohm and directed by Gotz Friedrich. It was a revelation at the time. It’s hard to imagine them even contemplating showing a full opera now.

Having said that, it did commission and show Friday Night Dinner, so it’s not all bad.

[Serial_Apologist]

I thought it was already “owned”/operated by a private/commercial organisation - maybe ITV. Presumably not. It’s probably best left as it is. I dislike the adverts, but I fear that those would only get worse with a change of operator or operations. How could it be improved?

TV adverts in general are as moronic as I've ever known them to be. That said, the fact that the most imbecilic seem to be excessively on repeat during some programmes surely says something about the attitude of the programme's makers towards the target audiences? Perhaps some prior warning that these programmes contain advertisements based on the truth that you the viewers are regarded as idiots might adversely affect viewing figures.

[LMcD]

When channel 4 was launched it took its public service remit rather more seriously than it appears to do so now. I can remember the joy each week of checking the TV listings to see which opera it was showing on the coming Sunday. One of the best was probably the film of Elektra, conducted by Karl Bohm and directed by Gotz Friedrich. It was a revelation at the time. It’s hard to imagine them even contemplating showing a full opera now.

Having said that, it did commission and show Friday Night Dinner, so it’s not all bad.

You can replace 'channel' with 'BBC' .....

[kernelbogey]

Exactly. So: let's list the advantages to the viewer of this privatisation, shall we? Can anyone think of any?

I think my post n2 indicated my view of the only group who would consider privatisation an advantage.

[cat]

Surely the main benefit of being state-owned should be that a channel is not then entirely beholden to its advertisers for income. But Channel 4 has always relied on advertisers for 100% of it's income. It is even prevented from selling it's programmes overseas, something which has made the BBC a tonne of money over the years.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I wonder whether Channel 4 may have become a threat to the government, in that its news programmes are more thorough than the BBC's in digging to expose dodgy policies.

[Bryn]

I wonder whether Channel 4 may have become a threat to the government, in that its news programmes are more thorough than the BBC's in digging to expose dodgy policies.

Nail struck on the head, I think.