Media Show by BBC talks all about channel 4 and how the privatisation process of channel 4 will completely change the content of the channel, this is the concern of more than 80% of the viewers of the channel.
Channel 4 was set up in 1982 by the Thatcher government, and the channel has been constantly reinventing itself since. The way they work, they don’t cost the taxpayer anything, in fact, they make money commercially from advertisers. They take all the money about a billion pounds of revenue a year. And recycle it for small and medium businesses across the UK. Channel 4 spends 50% of its revenue outside of London and the rest 50% in London. That’s a big focus for them, making sure that they spread it across the UK. Lots of small or medium creative production companies produce programmes that channel 4 air. They are owned by the public, and they are for the public. It entails utilizing their powerful brand and extensive reach to promote unheard voices, including those from diverse communities, emerging writers and producers, and individuals whose experiences or points of view differ. Inspired by the conversation between three individuals on the BBC media show https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-media-show/id292525828?i=1000526638482
They vision making a change in the more extensive world through their main principles as a whole: from television to streaming, social media, and film, as well as their daily responsibilities at Channel 4. It’s how Channel 4 affects society, viewers, British culture, the creative industries, and the economy as a whole.
The concern of channel 4 being privatised as expressed in the podcast that some of Channel 4’s less commercial programming, like drama and news and current affairs, might suffer. Further, Channel 4’s passion and inclusion will vanish as profit reigns supreme. The level of depth of the news as one aspect of the schedule might come under pressure, as well as programs that featured voices that were not represented in the media. Privatisation will have implications on the jobs of broadcasters as well as the economy of the United Kingdom. In the first scenario, it may
result in destroying the unique publisher-broadcaster relationship leading to a 29% reduction in the broadcaster’s content, ultimately affecting the supply chain.
Channel 4 had always tried to include programmes like the Paralympics, and even in covid, they focused on producing cooking content, without critically thinking about the profits or they have a Muslim women’s band playing regularly on the channel. Some of the most famous shows on Channel 4, are ‘The Great British Bake Off, Taskmaster, Lady parts.
Channel 4 creates content which is liked and viewed by consumers. A mutual ownership model, a sale to a private buyer, a flotation, or the sale of a minority stake are all possibilities for the new ownership structure. However, opponents of privatization point out that Channel 4 does not own any of its popular shows, like The Great British Bake Off, and that the channel’s mandate to “be different” would prevent it from making a lot of money. Since Channel 4 does not have its own production house and it has the mandate to telecast the shows within London or on streaming platforms but it cannot commercialize these shows outside the UK. It could be detrimental to the numerous independent production companies that are in charge of making them if that were to be altered or if it were permitted to produce its own programs. Once the factor of profit arises there might be less focus on generalised content and more on bringing in the high TRPs.
Any buyer of Channel 4 would drastically increase the margins and commercial profits for the company, ultimately changing the model of the Channel. There is no other commercial broadcaster who will be interested in investing in the kinds of films and programmes that Channel 4 produces. Options in front of the government are to either sell outright or part of the stake in channel 4. Thus, stating that it is not a profit-maximising owner!
But analysts believe that an ownership model is better as it will pay regular dividends to the government and this will be more profitable than any sale. Most politicians, from their comments, also appear against the sale and they are against the thought of a sale of their “precious public asset’ to a likely buyer from outside the UK. Discovery and Warner brothers( US) are likely to make a joint bid. BT, a British company was at the forefront prior to covid and this was still favourable to all as BT is a British company but post covid BT has its own problems. So a likely complete sale to a third party will also not be easy.