From the FT
Quote:
Channel 4’s planned privatisation has been thrown into doubt after the new UK culture secretary said she was revisiting “the business case” for selling the publicly owned broadcaster, while at the same time backing an overhaul of BBC funding.
Speaking in her first major interview since she was appointed last month, Michelle Donelan told the BBC on Tuesday that she was “re-examining” the rationale for the proposed sale of the commercially funded broadcaster “to make sure we still agree with the decision”.
While Donelan left open the possibility that she would press on with Boris Johnson’s contentious privatisation plans, the marked change of tone will raise Channel 4’s hopes of finding an alternative solution to a sale, from which the government hoped to raise at least £1bn.
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Quote:
Channel 4 will see her review as potentially reopening debate about alternative reforms to its business model that stop short of a private sale.
Chief executive Alex Mahon had proposed partnering with private investors to increase the broadcaster’s investment in programming while remaining in public hands. Donelan’s predecessor Nadine Dorries flatly rejected the plan as unworkable.
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