UK Government Confirms Channel 4 Sale Is Off

deadline.com:

The UK government has confirmed that Channel 4 will not be sold. The decision represents a dramatic u-turn from Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives, who had previously been pushing for privatization against the advice of 96% of respondents to a government consultation on the matter when Nadine Dorries was Culture Secretary.

Dorries’ successor Michelle Donelan has since examined the business case for Channel 4 remaining in public hands and recommended a sale not be taken forward, which was rubberstamped by 10 Downing Street. “Channel 4 is a British success story and a linchpin of our booming creative industries” said Donelan. “After reviewing the business case and engaging with the relevant sectors I have decided that Channel 4 should not be sold.” In news that was leaked yesterday and obtained by The News Agents journalist Lewis Goodall, Donelan has instead issued a “sustainability package” containing an “ambitious package of measures” that will see Channel 4 able to produce shows in-house for the first time, increase skills investment and jobs outside of London and have its borrowing limit upped.

How the in-house goal is achieved will be scrutinized carefully over the coming months by Britain’s production sector, many of whom have used Channel 4 IP as a bedrock to grow their businesses. “This announcement will bring huge opportunities across the UK with Channel 4’s commitment to double skills investment to £10M and double the number of jobs outside of London to 600,” added Donelan. “The package will also safeguard the future of our world leading independent production sector.

We will work closely with them to add new protections such as increasing the amount of content Channel 4 must commission from independent producers.”