Channel 4 to be privatised by the Tory government after 40 years in public ownership

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Channel 4 is to be privatised by the Tory government in a move set to spark furious backlash. Ministers are expected to pursue a sale of the channel to private owners, a government source confirmed.

It would be the channel's biggest shake-up since it was founded in 1982. Sir David Attenborough is among those who oppose the sale, according to the Mirror.He supported a letter that urged ministers to 'stop short-sighted political and financial attacks' on public service broadcasters.It came just hours before the channel became subject to a Government review.

That review warned "this is 2021, not 1982 - and the broadcasting landscape has changed beyond recognition. Increased global competition and changing audience habits pose challenges to linear TV broadcasters, including Channel 4 ".

The news was confirmed to staff in an e-mail by chief executive Alex Mahon.He said the channel's "vision" for the next 40 years had been "rooted in continued public ownership", but "ultimately the ownership of C4 is for Government to propose and Parliament to decide."Channel 4 is publicly owned and non-profit but receives no taxpayer cash, instead being funded entirely through its commercial activity.Yet Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who is set to push through the sale, wrongly claimed in November that it was "in receipt of public money".