UK Entertainment Unions Body “Dismayed” At Channel 4 Privatization Plans; Letter Urges Government Rethink

deadline.com:

The UK’s entertainment unions have united to express “dismay” at the British government’s plans to sell broadcaster Channel 4 and urged it to reconsider.The Federation of Entertainment Unions, which represents over 120,000 UK creative workers, has written to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries to say it is “deeply concerned” by the government’s decision to sell Channel 4, which is owned by the state but makes its revenues commercially,The sale has been rejected by most media professionals in the UK and many see it as an ideological, rather than economic, move.

The ruling Conservative party says Channel 4 must be sold to ensure its financial future and ability to compete with global streamers.FEU President and Head of Bectu, Philippa Childs, said: “Channel 4 costs the UK taxpayer precisely nothing, yet gives us a thriving independent production sector, thousands of jobs and world-renowned, innovative content.“Selling this much-loved and entirely self-sustaining public service broadcaster will deal a major blow to the creative industries, who were among the hardest hit by the pandemic and continue to face a chronic skills shortage, and have major consequences for the UK broadcasting landscape.”The letter cites Ernst and Young analysis that suggests the creative industries will be £2B ($2.4B) worse off with a privatized Channel 4, that 2,400 jobs would be at risk and that around 60 productions companies would also be at risk of closure.The FEU joins a cacophony of voices from the UK media sectoe who oppose the sale, with many believing its sale will sound the death knell for many small- and medium-sized producers who rely on Channel 4 commissions.The FEU comprises actors union Equity,