Britain scraps plan to sell Channel 4 – leaked letter
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LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will scrap a plan to sell Channel 4 and instead give the broadcaster more commercial flexibility to help underpin its long-term future, Media Secretary Michelle Donelan said in a letter published by The News Agents podcast.
The sale of Channel 4, which is funded by advertising and receives no public money, was announced by former prime minister Boris Johnson’s government in April 2022, triggering criticism from lawmakers from all parties and the broadcasting industry.
“After reviewing the business case, I have concluded that pursuing a sale at this point is not the right decision and there are better ways to secure C4C’s sustainability and that of the independent production sector,” she said in the letter addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Donelan said she was re-examining the case for selling Channel 4 in September, raising the possibility that the plan would be scrapped.
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said they would not comment on the leaked letter.
“The DCMS Secretary of State has been clear that we are looking again at the business case for the sale of Channel Four,” they said. “We will announce more on our plans in due course.”
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)