Government plans to sell Channel 4 "reckless", says West of England Mayor
Dan Norris fears the decision could put jobs in the West Country at risk
Plans to privatise Channel 4 have been called "reckless" by the West of England Metro Mayor.
Yesterday (4 April) it was revealed the idea will be included in the Queen's Speech in May, when the government outlines its plans for the following year.
But Dan Norris says it is an "ideological decision" from a government that doesn't like public service broadcasting.
The channel has a base in Bristol.
"We’ve been wowed by Channel 4 news coverage from Ukraine and we love the unique regional content - much of it made in the West of England - that they bring to our screens," Mr Norris says in a statement.
"I am deeply concerned about the possible threat to the Creative Hub in Bristol and the knock on effects across my region’s amazing creative sector."
He calls the issue a local, as well as a national one.
"I don’t see why local jobs and brilliant content enjoyed by the country should fall victim to Tory Culture wars," he says.
The government claims the channel should be sold because public ownership is holding it back and preventing it from competing with the likes of Netflix.
But Channel 4 itself has called the news "disappointing", while others believe the government is attempting to get rid of a news service, which it considers hostile.
In 2019 Boris Johnson declined to attend a Channel 4 debate on climate change and was replaced on the show with an ice sculpture.
Afterwards the Conservatives confirmed the party would review the channel's broadcasting obligations if they won the December 2019 general election, which they did.
"Channel 4 has engaged in good faith with the Government throughout the consultation process, demonstrating how it can continue to commission much-loved programmes from the independent sector across the UK that represent and celebrate every aspect of British life as well as increase its contribution to society, while maintaining ownership by the public," a statement from the channel reads.
"Recently, Channel 4 presented DCMS (the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) with a real alternative to privatisation that would safeguard its future financial stability, allowing it to do significantly more for the British public, the creative industries and the economy, particularly outside London.
"This is particularly important given that the organisation is only 2 years into a significant commitment to drive up its impact in the UK’s Nations and Regions."
The channel says it "remains legally committed" to its public service remit.
"The proposal to privatise Channel 4 will require a lengthy legislative process and political debate.
"We will of course continue to engage with DCMS, Government and Parliament, and do everything we can to ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life."
Lucy Powell, Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, added: "Selling off Channel 4, which doesn’t cost the tax-payer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism.
"The West of England is an important hub for Channel 4 and this decision will cost jobs and opportunities and hit the wider British creative economy.”
Commissioning departments represented in the Creative Hub in Bristol include: Daytime, Drama; Factual and Popular Factual.
Creative Diversity also has a presence in Bristol to help nurture and develop on and off-screen talent.