UK Government will 'protect distinctly British TV', white paper states

A joint statement from the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Nadine Dorries on the white paper said their proposals will see public service broadcasters focus on “creating distinctive shows which reflect British culture, support domestic film and TV production, and provide impartial and accurate news”. 

The statement continued to state that a consultation will be launched on “new rules to make sure PSBs continue to commission distinctively British programming”.

The statement defined “distinctly British programming” to be “shows loved and admired not just at home but also around the world, because they could not have been made anywhere else”. It went on to reference shows such as Dr Who, I May Destroy You, Great British Bake Off, Top Gear, Luther, Downton Abbey and Planet Earth which they state “reflect a vision of a modern UK”.

READ MORE: Channel 4 privatisation - Five times the broadcaster upset the Tories

It stated that the “globalisation of broadcasting” risks TV made in the UK becoming “indistinguishable from that produced elsewhere” and “less relevant for UK audiences”, as well as “reducing UK soft power abroad”.

Elsewhere, the white paper also confirmed the UK Government’s much criticised plans to privatise Channel 4 will be going forward. 

Tom Mills, chair of Media Reform UK tweeted in response to the white paper that the UK Government has “no democratic mandate” to privatise Channel 4 and has “failed to present a reasonable case” for going ahead with the plans.

He called the UK Government’s statement “hugely misleading”, stating that it “draws attention to a series of issues which either would not be rectified, or alternatively would be worsened, under private ownership” in attempts to justify plans to privatise Channel 4.

Government announced its Broadcasting white paper today. Lots to say, but I’ll focus here on the proposed privatisation of Channel 4, for which the gov has no democratic mandate & has presented no reasonable case.

— Tom Mills (@ta_mills) April 28, 2022

Mills said: “In an effort to make C4 appear redundant, the government claims its founding purpose was ‘to provide greater choice for audiences’. In fact C4 has not been tasked with more consumer choice, but with providing alternative, innovative content, and with catering to underrepresented groups.

“Privatisation will achieve neither. Markets create incentives for low risk, homogenous content catering to broadest (or most affluent) audiences. C4 already produces a lot of this because it has already been commercialised, and commissions from the big private production companies.

“The Government notes this fact, and the relative lack of investment in the north, but then implies privatisation will address these problems. It would do the opposite. Essentially the government identifies problems created by commercial pressures, and then proposes further commercialisation as a solution.”

Anti-privatisation protestors outside C4 Horseferry Road building

In response to the white paper, John Nicolson SNP Shadow Culture Secretary said: “The Secretary of State is determined to privatise Channel 4. It’s nothing more than politically driven revenge. The UK Government despises Channel 4 News and its rigorous journalism which holds ministers to account. 

“Appearing before the Commons Culture Committee on which I sit, the Secretary of State did not even know how the broadcaster was funded. She thought it was publicly funded whereas it’s actually funded by advertising and makes a profit. 

“With only days to go until World Press Freedom Day, the UK Government’s disdain for public service broadcasting is truly woeful. I will always stand up for public broadcasting and fearless journalism. We will do all we can to protect Channel 4 from the Tories.”