Channel 4 Television Corporation's Ownership Transfer Proposal Submitted to DCMS Consultation
In a submission titled "PEC's Submission to the House of Lords Communications and Digital Select Committee inquiry into the future of Channel 4," researchers Tom Chivers and Stuart Allan, working for the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Nesta, London), have put forth recommendations to strengthen Channel 4's commitment to serving minority audiences and supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) producers.
The submission, co-authored by Dr Tom Chivers and Professor Stuart Allan, emphasises the public value of Channel 4, highlighting its role in delivering social, cultural, and economic benefits to the public through its commitments to creativity, serving a culturally diverse society, supporting SME producers, and reinvesting in the UK creative industries.
The submission, prepared by the Cardiff University PEC in response to the DCMS consultation on a change of ownership of Channel 4 Television Corporation, which occurred on September 14, 2021, does not address specific aspects related to AI, Intellectual Property and Regulation, Business Models and Access to Finance, Cross-cutting, Diversity and Inclusion, Geography of the Creative Industries, R&D and Innovation, or International, Trade, and Immigration.
One notable recommendation is the renewed 2024 Channel 4 licence should include further obligations for reaching and appealing to under-30s with innovative, UK-made public service content. The submission also recommends revising Channel 4's obligations to strengthen its founding remit for serving minority audiences and supporting SME producers.
Interestingly, the submission does not respond to any consultation by the Competition and Markets Authority or the Autumn Spending Review, nor does it provide any information about the geography of the creative industries or the UK's creative industries in general.
It's important to note that this submission is in response to the DCMS Committee's inquiry into the future of Channel 4. However, as of August 2025, no recent official government consultation details or Cardiff University PEC recommendations were found in the provided material regarding the government's consultation on the change of ownership of Channel 4 Television Corporation.
For those interested in the specifics of Channel 4's ownership status or relevant consultations, further updates may be awaited.
