Michelle Donelan, the culture secretary, warned the prime minister in a letter that was posted online against privatizing Channel 4.
Ms. Donelan claimed that there were “alternative means to assure Channel 4’s viability” in the letter, which was obtained by the News Agents podcast.
The decision was criticized by her predecessor Nadine Dorries, who wanted to sell the government-owned channel.
But Ms. Donelan asserted that it was incorrect to pursue a sale at this time.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) did not confirm the U-turn through a representative. They stated, “We do not comment on rumors.”
“The Secretary of State for the DCMS has made it plain that we are reexamining the commercial case for the sale of Channel 4.” More information about our plans will be released soon.
Channel 4 management and a sizable portion of the television industry have opposed the plan to sell the broadcaster for as much as £1.5 billion. The newly appointed culture secretary declared in September that she will “re-examine the commercial case” for privatization.
In a letter to the prime minister that was obtained by Lewis Goodall of The News Agents and appears to have been written on Tuesday, Ms. Donelan recommended that the initiative be abandoned.
“After analyzing the business case, I have concluded that pursuing a sale at this time is not the correct decision and that there are better methods to safeguard C4C’s (Channel 4 Corporation) sustainability and that of the independent production sector,” she stated in the letter.
A sale “would be very disruptive to its position in supporting the independent production sector at a time when growth and economic stability are our priorities,” she continued.
Dorries is defeated
In response to the leak, Ms. Dorries claimed that several “progressive” programs were being “washed down the drain,” including the privatization.
“What was replaced with? A policy to teach math for longer in the future with instructors we don’t even yet have to do so,” she remarked on Twitter about a promise PM Rishi Sunak was slated to make in a speech later.
“Who voted for this and where is the mandate? Being in front of the electorate during a GE [general election] and expecting voters to believe or trust our manifesto commitments would now be nearly difficult.
The Conservatives vendetta against Channel 4 was always bad for Britain, growth in our creative sector, and a terrible waste of everyone’s time, according to Labour’s shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell.
The expected reversal was hailed by Pact, the trade association for independent TV production companies.
John McVay, CEO of Pact, declared: “The government took the proper choice to halt Channel 4’s privatization. Always, there was a hunt for a fix to an illusory issue.
In the broadcasting environment, Channel 4 holds a distinctive position. Since its beginnings, its commissioning strategy has supported British production firms, creating jobs for thousands of people all around the UK. Transferring to private ownership would have put this at risk, he continued.
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