Julia Lopez: Channel 4 won’t just be sold to highest bidder

Culture minister Julia Lopez has said that Channel 4 will not simply be sold to the highest bidder, and that stewardship of its PSB remit will be a factor in DCMS thinking in the event of a sale.

Lopez told lastweek’s Lords Communications and Digital committee that she is coming to C4 privatisation “without any particular baggage on the issue” and that, if a sale goes ahead: “we would look not just at money [on offer] but at the broader question of value, and what is offered by any potential buyer in terms of the public service remit – we’d consider that alongside the price proposed.”

Lopez repeatedly stressed the idea that C4’s remit to create distinctive programmes and focus on younger views would make it attractive to would-be buyers and suggested that such a company would then be unlikely to prioritise “dismantling the very thing that attracted them”.

This approach could be taken as positive news for the likes of ITV and ViacomCBS, the two organisations that currently run commercial PSBs.

ITV, for example, would be unlikely to be able to match the financial firepower of some would-be bidders, but it could make a good case in terms of understanding PSB requirements and delivering innately British programming across a broad genre mix. It could also point to senior execs with extensive experience of C4’s DNA, including managing director of media and entertainment Kevin Lygo and ITV Studios managing director Julian Bellamy.

ViacomCBS could also look to make a similar case with regards to its successful stewardship of Channel 5 and there are parallels between Lygo and Bellamy’s experience at C4 and its own director of programmes, Ben Frow.

Separately, Lopez indicated that culture secretary Nadine Dorries will meet with C4 execs and officials this week and that her own approach will be to try to understand C4’s arguments against privatisation.

“I’ll be seeking a productive discussion [with C4]. It’s unhelpful for this to be viewed through the lens of an attack on broadcaster,” she said. “It’s not about trying to unpick things that make C4 so unique and valued by its viewers.”