[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Hugh

How about from less than a year ago (from my previous post link)

Quote:

Alex Mahon and Charles Gurassa (Channel 4 Chair) were questioned about the possible privatisation of Channel 4 when they gave evidence to the DCMS Committee on 22 June 2021. 1Kevin Brennan MP asked what had changed since the 2016 Lords Committee report. Alex Mahon said:

Probably there are a couple of things that have changed...One is that the digital landscape has become more dangerous in terms of social media, so the importance of public service content has probably become higher, which is maybe the opposite of what we would have thought five years ago, but that sort of trusted, objective, fact-checked requirement for news is more important than ever before and certain kinds of content.

The other is there is a lot of competition, but it is not making British content owned by British companies, and perhaps the other thing is the export value of those companies. We do a lot for British companies that send their content abroad. That gives us soft power as a country...Our role in ensuring that we allow that stuff to be made and get it exported is perhaps even more important than it was.

Mr Brennan also asked:
Would it be fair to say that both of you are saying there is no new compelling argument for privatisation that has arisen in the last five and a half years that makes it any more of a sensible path to take than it was previously?...

Alex Mahon replied: “Not that I have seen at this stage, but I look forward to seeing any analysis”


Like most reasonable people, I would like to see the analysis and evidence behind this decision, and validate if the decision proposed meets the criteria set out in the remit.

Of course they would be defending the status quo for Channel 4, but they were right to point to the rapidly changing digital landscape. Isn't that why the Government believe that privatisation is necessary?