[Politics] Government plans to privatise CH4

[Super Steve Earle]

Must admit I would miss being able to dip in to Frazier any weekday morning with breakfast for a dose of quality rerun as it has been for decades along with Raymond and King of Queens. Not sure if I ever watch anything else on C4.

 

[clapham_gull]

Must admit I would miss being able to dip in to Frazier any weekday morning with breakfast for a dose of quality rerun as it has been for decades along with Raymond and King of Queens. Not sure if I ever watch anything else on C4.

They've been incredibly influential. "Lifestyle" and "cooking" programmes used to be tucked away in the schedules, either in the morning or daytime.

When they started to commission them as more "edgy" and stylised, it pretty much changed how everyone did it.

There has been talk (for years) that the commercial arm of the BBC (BBC Studios formally BBC Worldwide) could merge with them.

That commercial arm now owns UKTV (Dave etc..) 100% so it makes a lot of sense. None of those entities are funded by the licence fee but could pool resources in the face of Netflix etc...

It may be a compromise instead of it been swallowed up by an American multi-national.

Again, sorry to repeat myself - but there is a lot of misunderstanding about Channel 4.

It's a publisher not a programme maker. It doesn't make Great British Bake Off, the same people are making it and the company that does is owned by Sky !

It supports a raft of UK based independent production companies. The "rationale" for privatising it appears to be to allow it to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon who have completely different business models.

That's completely irrational because it will companies like that who will buy shares.

Very good opinion piece (in the Telegraph)

https://www.ft.com/content/cba2975b-9a64-49dd-afaa-1ba1c977db4a

 

[wellquickwoody]

............... one of the marks of a Fascist regime.

I am not saying the current government are comparable to Hitler, BUT Fascist regimes do things like silencing their critics, discounting experts, telling lies so often that the become believed.... I could go on.

They ma not be fascist, but they are extreme.

The same can be said of the extreme left.

 

[rogersix]

The same can be said of the extreme left.

what does this mean?

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

These are worrying times,

This government appears to be attempting to silence any criticism of themselves or their policies.

https://youtu.be/CTwZ980ujkc

Can't think why ?

Regards
DF

 

[The Clamp]

https://youtu.be/CTwZ980ujkc

Can't think why ?

Regards
DF

Even if all of that was true and not a heavily biased piece of emotive propaganda, it is for the viewers, advertisers and program makers to decide if they wish to continue to support CH4 and not for the government to essentially silence them by selling them off to Tory sympathetic investors.
No. No. No.
This is the exact opposite of democracy. And it is very, very concerning.

 

[nicko31]

These are worrying times,

This government appears to be attempting to silence any criticism of themselves or their policies.

We're fast heading in the same direction of Poland and Hungary but without the benefit of EU membership...

Winning isn't enough until you win for ever.

 

[stewart12]

wonder which one of Johnson's mates fancies a go at running a tv channel

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This, Boris and his cronies would be foolish to sell it without understanding how the buyers sit politically.

It would be a concern to them only if the owners are secretly labour supporters.

Otherwise they won't give a monkey's.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

wonder which one of Johnson's mates fancies a go at running a tv channel

The one who donates the most money to the Party. £150K for a seat in the House of Lords is the going rate.

 

[The Clamp]

The one who donates the most money to the Party. £150K for a seat in the House of Lords is the going rate.

Remarkable how relatively cheap a price ticket the Tory’s have put on our democracy.

 

[nicko31]

Remarkable how relatively cheap a price ticket the Tory’s have put on our democracy.

Our whole system needs dismantling the UK is not a representative democracy, until this happens little will change and we will continue to see governments get 100 odd seat majorities with sub 40% of the vote.

The Tories aren't finished with fixing the system

Voter suppression via voter ID
Axe fixed term parliament
Gerrymander electoral boundaries
Take control of the electoral commission

They hate C4 News ever sine they did their expose on their lack of a plan for climate change. Johnson wanted to send his Dad to their live debate, C4 said NO, this is a leaders debate

 

[The Clamp]

Our whole system needs dismantling the UK is not a representative democracy, until this happens little will change and we will continue to see governments get 100 odd seat majorities with sub 40% of the vote.

The Tories aren't finished with fixing the system

Voter suppression via voter ID
Axe fixed term parliament
Gerrymander electoral boundaries
Take control of the electoral commission

They hate C4 News ever sine they did their expose on their lack of a plan for climate change. Johnson wanted to send his Dad to their live debate, C4 said NO, this is a leaders debate

Absolutely agree.

 

[GOM]

Our whole system needs dismantling the UK is not a representative democracy, until this happens little will change and we will continue to see governments get 100 odd seat majorities with sub 40% of the vote.

The Tories aren't finished with fixing the system

Voter suppression via voter ID
Axe fixed term parliament
Gerrymander electoral boundaries
Take control of the electoral commission

They hate C4 News ever sine they did their expose on their lack of a plan for climate change. Johnson wanted to send his Dad to their live debate, C4 said NO, this is a leaders debate

Voter suppression via voter ID is a matter of opinion.
Wasn't fixed term Parliament only introduced in 2011 under a Conservative/LibDem government, so hardly something of longstanding that needs to be cherished.
The boundary Commission is independent of government. https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/about-us/
I'm interested to hear the evidence you have of the Conservatives taking control of the Electoral commission.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Even if all of that was true and not a heavily biased piece of emotive propaganda, it is for the viewers, advertisers and program makers to decide if they wish to continue to support CH4 and not for the government to essentially silence them by selling them off to Tory sympathetic investors.
No. No. No.
This is the exact opposite of democracy. And it is very, very concerning.

This is priceless coming from someone who backed the amendments and general shit show fest that went on in Parliament during the Brexit process
Expect a few more shake ups with the BBC next on the list
Seeking solace with a few of the usual suspects isn't going to change anything

Regards
DF

 

[The Clamp]

This is priceless coming from someone who backed the amendments and general shit show fest that went on in Parliament during the Brexit process
Expect a few more shake ups with the BBC next on the list
Seeking solace with a few of the usual suspects isn't going to change anything

Regards
DF

Okay.

 

[BBassic]

Democracy: Silencing Channel 4 and turning it into a Government mouthpiece
Not Democracy: utilising long standing Parliamentary procedure to try to manage the biggest shake-up to the UK in modern history.

Apparently

 

[nicko31]

Democracy: Silencing Channel 4 and turning it into a Government mouthpiece
Not Democracy: utilising long standing Parliamentary procedure to try to manage the biggest shake-up to the UK in modern history.

Apparently

Maybe the Murdoch's could buy it, their cross media ownership in the UK is a bit light these days...

 

[The Clamp]

Maybe the Murdoch's could buy it, their cross media ownership in the UK is a bit light these days...

National Geographic are considering a purchase. Nat Geo owned by the Murdochs.

 

[Dr. No]

No. No. No.

No.