Channel 4 is facing a summer of uncertainty after it emerged that privatisation remains on the political agenda following the appointment of new ministers at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.
The views of new culture secretary Karen Bradley are not known, but Matthew Hancock, one of the key players exploring options to reform C4 with John Whittingdale, has replaced Ed Vaizey as culture minister.
And in his first Westminster debate in his new role, he questioned whether C4 is fulfilling its remit and has a secure financial future, as well as making it clear that “all options” remain on the table.
In response, the indie community, as well as senior industry figures, rallied to support C4, calling for it to “bang the drum” for the status quo.
Richard Farmbrough, commercial director for Zinc Media, which owns Films of Record, maker of C4’s award-winning The Murder Detectives, said: “C4 needs to make the case for remaining as a public company. David Abraham and Jay Hunt will do that, but they also need support from their board.
“Precious things can slip away if you don’t protect them, and future generations will not forgive us.”
John Willis, chairman of Question Time indie Mentorn, which made The Jihadis Next Door for C4 earlier this year, added: “It would be an act of creative self-harm to privatise C4 and it staggers me that with so many other major issues facing this government they should even be thinking about it.”
James Burstall, chief executive of Argonon, which owns Fifteen To One producer Remedy, commented: “While privatisation in some industries brings advantages, for a broadcaster such as C4, it could bring intolerable market pressure to bear on its output.”
And former BBC director of television Danny Cohen, who now runs Access Entertainment, an investment firm established by Warner Music owner Len Blavatnik, said privatisation of C4 would have a negative impact on the UK’s creative range.
“Whatever they say about the remit, a privatised C4 would be less public service oriented and more focused on shareholder returns. I can’t see the upside to the British public,” he said.
“It would be tougher for the less commercial indies, the boutique and smaller suppliers, to make their mark in that environment.”
The next step for C4 is to engage with Hancock and Bradley. The broadcaster has already written to the pair, who will be meeting key media executives in the coming months, according to the DCMS.
C4 executives were initially buoyed by the departure of culture secretary Whittingdale in May’s cabinet reshuffle and the appointment of relative unknown Bradley as his replacement. One C4 source suggested that her limited experience of the media sector would present an opportunity for it to highlight “the unique role it plays in the sector”.
Bradley has just become the ninth culture secretary in 10 years.
“It’s hard to see a long-term vision when governments of whatever hue have a different person running the DCMS every year,” said Cohen. “It might not be as important as the health and education briefs, but culture is vital to the fabric of our nation.”
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