The Public Television Chain to Cult Programs (“PEEP SHOW”, “Big Brother” …) will be offered for sale, announced, on April 4, the Minister of Culture Nadine Dorrie, a news that raises reserves, including in the conservative camp.
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Nadine Dorries, the Minister of British Culture, triggered the controversy Monday, April 4, announcing on Twitter the privatization of Chanenel 4, created forty years ago by the Government thatcher to boost national audiovisual production. “Channel 4 rightly occupies a special place in our lives and I want it to remain so. But I have come to the conclusion that staying in the cup of the public prevents the chain from keeping competition against giants As Netflix or Amazon “, assured M me Dorrie. “A change of shareholders will give Channel 4 the tools and freedom to prosper while remaining a public service,” added this accustomed policy of the polemics, but faithful to Boris Johnson.
A “White Paper” should be published by the end of April, and a proposed privatization bill in the next legislative program of the Johnson government, released on May 10. Downing Street would like to put the chain for sale before the next general elections (EN 2024) and hopes to draw 1 billion pounds sterling (1.19 billion euros), according to the national media. The announcement is only a half-surprise: the Johnson government had already mentioned its intentions several times. But it was very badly received by the management of Channel-4, which was called “disappointed” of the government decision, Tuesday, April 5, and warned that privatization “will result in a very long legislative process”.
The government’s arguments do not convince the chain, nor the experts, or opposition parties. Channel 4 almost does not affect public money: it finances by the advertising representing 90% of its income. It has certainly suffered from the fall of the advertising market during the pandemic, but quickly died, and it already benefits from the rebound, which allows it to release new ways to finance its programs.
“Cultural vandalism”
Especially created by the “iron lady” to shake the national audiovisual landscape – completely dominated by the BBC at the time, the chain has largely completed its contract, multiplying the creative programs become cults (“Peep Show” , “Big Brother”, “Goggle Box”) and energizing a whole regional TV producer ecosystem. Bold, Channel 4 has attracted a young audience and address difficult topics, such as the Civil War in Northern Ireland (with the Derry Girls series), AIDS (with the magnificent IT’S A Sin series), and disability, broadcasting Live the summer of 2021, the events of the Paralympic Games. She also launched careers, such as Sacha Baron Cohen, thanks to the “da ali g show” broadcast in 2003.
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