C4 privatisation set to be shelved
November 4, 2022
By Colin Mann
The proposed privatisation of UK commercial PSB Channel 4 is set to be dropped, according to the FT, with newly-elected Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reassessing policy pledges made by previous administrations as he considers his legislative priorities. “We are looking at all the campaign pledges and we are looking at whether it is the right time to take them forward,” the prime minister’s press secretary said.
Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who served under ex-PM Boris Johnson, had signalled the government’s intention to sell off the publicly-owned broadcaster in April 2022, but the plan faced opposition within the TV industry and parts of the ruling Conservative party.
Current Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan admitted in September 2022 that the government was looking again at the business case for the sale of Channel Four.