MPs raise concerns over C4 sale

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Jeremy Corbyn, Rebecca Long Bailey and Dawn Butler support NUJ calls for broadcaster to remain in public hands

It's A Sin

It’s A Sin

Jeremy Corbyn, Rebecca Long Bailey and Dawn Butler are among a group of MPs to have backed an early day motion calling for the government to keep Channel 4 in public hands.

The motion, which is also sponsored by Labour MP and chair of the NUJ’s parliamentary group Grahame Morris, supports the NUJ’s concerns over the potential privatisation of the business.

Signed by 35 MPs from the Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green, SNP and Plaid Cymru parties, along with two independents, the motion claims that “any steps towards privatisation would inevitably replace C4’s characteristic public service ethos in favour of the narrow interests of shareholder profit”.

It highlights 2016’s House of Lords Select Committee report, A Privatised Future for Channel Four?, which concluded that a sales would put its news and current affairs output at risk, while threatening its ability to commission programmes from smaller indies and those based outside London.

Following reports on Friday (18 June) of an imminent government consultation into privatisation, the NUJ called for the government to “keep Channel 4 in public hands”.

NUJ national broadcasting organiser Paul Siegert said: “C4 currently has a unique place in the market and is particularly popular with younger viewers. This should be cherished and not sold off to the highest bidder. The government says it agrees that public service broadcasting should remain as strong as ever, so why is it considering selling off Channel 4?”

Early Day Motion - C4’s role as a PSB: full list of signatories