Channel 4 could be sold for £1bn by a new Tory government
Some senior Tory figures are in favour of divesting ownership of the TV station
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Channel 4 could be sold off or turned into an employee-owned mutual company if the Conservatives win the next election, under plans being discussed within the party.
Some senior Tory figures are in favour of divesting ownership of the TV station, which has been held by the Government since C4 launched in 1982.
They believe selling off the company could net the Treasury more than £1bn.
However, any such move would be fiercely resisted by C4 itself, which last year commissioned a report to justify its unique position. It warned: “Channel 4’s not-for-profit status means it can take risks on the content it commissions,” it concluded.
The discussions come after the Liberal Democrats vetoed a proposal by Tory ministers to examine the case for selling off Channel 4 last autumn.
But Conservative sources have suggested that the issue could re-emerge if the party wins an overall majority in May.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments