500 signatures reached
To: John Whittingdale, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Don't sell off Channel 4
Don't sell off Channel 4. It is a success story in public ownership and it needs to stay that way. Channel 4 has a public service remit but is commercially run - we don't have to pay for it and profits are reinvested.
We don't need another Channel 5, ITV or Sky News.
Why is this important?
A privatised Channel 4 wouldn't be the same. Its focus on innovation would disappear as shareholder profits become the only priority. It would cut its work with hundreds of independent producers. We don't need another Channel 5, ITV or Sky News.
Some of us enjoy Channel 4 News with Jon Snow. Some of us enjoy Countdown. Some of us enjoy Made in Chelsea. All of us want Channel 4 to stay OURS.
Channel 4 is like no other broadcaster. It's a national treasure with a duty to make innovative programmes and reflect the diversity of British society. Keep it that way.
"The notion that a privatised Channel 4 would continue to invest significant sums in news and current affairs or make equity investments in British feature films, or try out more programme ideas each year than any other channel, is utterly illusory." David Puttnam, film producer
“I can imagine getting a call in the middle of the night from a shareholder sharing their view about something we were going to air that was going to have a lot of impact...The nature of that coverage would subtly change over time. And the fierce independence of our journalism, I can’t help but think, would alter over time.” David Abrahams, Chief Executive of Channel 4
Read more about Channel 4 on the We Own It website http://weownit.org.uk/evidence/channel-4
How it will be delivered
In person.
