Select committee: Communications and Digital Committee
Recommendation 88
2nd Report - The future of Channel 4
Published 26 Nov 2021
Communications and Digital Committee The future of Channel 4 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that regardless of ownership C4C’s voluntary higher quota for production in the nations and regions be codified in legislation and enforced by Ofcom . Skills and training
From: Communications and Digital Committee, 2nd Report - The future of Channel 4, 26 November 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 28 January 2022 (deadline 26 January 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government "notes" the Committee's findings and will "consider the report's recommendations", alongside consultation responses, before deciding on Channel 4's future; it says no decisions on ownership have been made.
- On alternatives to a change of ownership, the Government says it is "analysing a range of options, including raising C4C's borrowing limit", and "will publish a rationale supporting its decision on the future of C4C".
- On the Terms of Trade, publisher-broadcaster restriction and quotas, it is "considering" the Terms of Trade within its wider strategic review, with conclusions "set out in due course"; it is examining stakeholder evidence on the other issues.
- On prominence, it says it has "already committed to act on Ofcom's prominence proposals" and to legislate "as legislative time allows", with more detail "in due course".
- On the Indie Growth Fund, it says investment decisions are "ultimately a matter for the C4C Board and management", and on All4 viewing data it says this is "ultimately for C4C and Ofcom to lead on".