Pact's Response to the Government's Review of Channel 4

Responding to the Government's announcement that it will be reviewing Channel 4, Pact CEO John McVay, said: "Channel 4 plays a critical role in the UK's broadcasting ecology as a publisher/broadcaster which has invested in hundreds of independent production companies over the nearly 40 years of its existence, enabling and improving access, skills, international activity and diversity.

“The channel is a thriving dynamic and successful public service broadcaster and a catalyst for generations of entrepreneurs. The Government’s plans to sell off Channel 4 will damage small businesses across the UK at a time when they are recovering from the pandemic and rebuilding their businesses. The current Government’s thesis that bigger is always better is an archaic concept from an analogue past.

"Pact is very concerned about the Government's proposal for the future of Channel 4, as their profits are reinvested in hundreds of British companies who not only make high quality, diverse programmes for the British public, but exploit their IP around the globe taking those programmes to international audiences and bringing money back to the UK economy. 

"This proposal will damage British SMEs at a time when we should be focussing on building back better after the pandemic."