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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Proposed Privatisation of Channel 4

  • Submitted by: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour.
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 April 2022
  • Motion reference: S6M-04016

That the Parliament expresses its disappointment at reports that the UK Government has proposed to privatise Channel 4 to, it understands, raise funds for HM Treasury; notes that Channel 4 was launched in 1982 as a publicly-owned, commercially-funded public service broadcaster with a remit to deliver content to under-serviced audiences; considers that the Channel embraces and champions diversity both off and on screen; understands that, in September 2021, independent analysis by Ernst and Young LLP reportedly stated that the UK creative sector could be £2 billion worse off if the channel was privatised; believes that privatisation is a threat to the values embraced and championed currently by the Channel and will have a negative economic impact on the sector, given, it understands, that the Channel’s unique remit allows it to directly invest £12 billion into the UK production industry, creating 10,000 jobs in the supply chain, one third of these being in the nations and regions, including in the Lothians region, and further believes that the privatisation of any platform of public service broadcasting would seriously undermine its public service nature and risk incentives being driven by profit rather than delivering for the British public.


Supported by: Karen Adam, Stephanie Callaghan, Maggie Chapman, Foysol Choudhury, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Mark Griffin, Bill Kidd, Monica Lennon, Rona Mackay, Michael Marra, Gillian Martin, John Mason, Stuart McMillan, Pauline McNeill, Audrey Nicoll, Alex Rowley, Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba, Martin Whitfield