'Lord Grocott (Labour) said he was trying to follow the Minister’s logic during the debate:

“Basically, he is saying that [Channel 4] is a wonderful company, doing a fantastic job, and so we need to change it fundamentally - that does not follow”...

Channel 4 said it was “disappointing” that the Government’s announcement had “been made without formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised”:

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.

Recently, Channel 4 presented DCMS 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.

Dorothy Byrne, Channel 4’s former head of news and current affairs, has said the Government’s argument for privatisation “doesn't stack up because Channel 4 is not there to compete with Netflix and Amazon”: It is there to provide a public service to the people of Britain with really important programmes like Channel 4 News or Unreported World, which Netflix or Amazon would never make…

The opposition parties have strongly criticised the Government’s plans.

Lucy Powell, the Shadow Secretary of State, said privatising Channel 4 made “absolutely no sense”, would cost jobs, and hit Britain’s wider creative economy.

Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS), claims

Channel 4 is “a world-renowned gem” that the Government “seems hell-bent on trashing” through privatisation.

The SNP DCMS spokesperson, John Nicolson, has said privatisation would be a "direct attack on an innovative broadcaster which produces independent, high-quality journalism"'

(from Channel 4: A Change of Ownership? UK Parliament.  Research Briefing By John Woodhouse 20 April 2022)

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