EXCLUSIVE: The BBC dominates headlines, and the future of the licensing fee is in doubt. Another major British broadcaster Channel 4 will have to wait longer before it can find out the fate of its future-defining government decision regarding privatization.
Deadline has learned that the Spring was delayed by the publication of the historic government White Paper on broadcasting. This White Paper will contain a decision regarding Channel 4’s sale and could lead to a Media Bill passing through parliament.
If it is published, the long-awaited White Paper could be delayed for six months. The White Paper was initially scheduled to be published in Autumn 2021. After that, it was moved back until the end.
Two sources who were aware of the situation suggested that Deadline was delayed. Culture did not confirm or deny this when they were contacted.
One source was Culture Secretary Nadine Dories “doesn’t have the same sort of beef”With the It’s a Sin She is a broadcaster, as she is with the BBC. However, she seems less interested in a sale than her predecessors Oliver Dowden or John Whittingdale. The latter was often called the architect privatization.
Furthermore, the source said Dorries’ department is “overwhelmed” with work on the recent BBC licence fee deal and Online Harms legislation, the latter of which is one of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s major reform areas and was described by the source as “insanely complicated.”
The second source described the situation regarding Channel 4 privatization as follows: “in flux”It was agreed that the Culture department “has its arms full” with Online Harms, with thousands of responses to the initial government consultation into privatization still unread.
“It’s becoming hard to establish that Channel 4 privatization is a priority in itself and it might even be difficult to sustain interest in a Media Bill,”This person spoke up. “But the TV industry is working hard. Everyone has their briefings ready [for any privatization announcement].”
A potential Channel 4 acquisition has attracted a large number of buyers, including Sky, Discovery and Channel 5-owner Viacom. Although the latter is already a commercially owned public broadcaster, it may be difficult for them to get through all of the regulatory hurdles necessary to acquire their main advertising rival.
The White Paper will also address regulation of U.S streamers. It will also include recommendations for legislation regarding prominence for UK broadcasters. This would mean that Broadcaster VoD players like BBC iPlayer or All4 would be more prominently featured by law on set-top boxes and smart TVs.
Reports suggest that the government could give broadcasters what they want in return for their prominence.
For many years, broadcasters have been campaigning for fame. Those who want legislation passed in parliament earlier this year had hoped it would happen during the delay of the White Paper.
This news comes during a historic week for BBC. Dorries shocked the broadcasting world by tweeting that she had decided to freeze the licence fees for two years and then scrap them altogether in five.
She rowed back slightly in parliament yesterday but confirmed the licence fee freeze, which looks set to lose the BBC around £1.5BN ($2BN) over the next five years.