Two prominent voices within Bristol’s creative sector have criticised plans to privatise Channel 4 and warned the impact the move could have on independent production companies is being “missed out” in discussions surrounding it.
Bristol-based TV historian David Olusoga and Grant Mansfield, the chief executive of Plimsoll Productions, have spoken out after the government launched a consultation over the sale of the public broadcaster in July.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirmed the process would consider a change in Channel 4’s ownership, operating model, remit and obligations.
It comes amid a report from , that US broadcaster Discovery is among a number of organisations potentially interested in making a takeover bid for the channel. A spokesperson at Discovery denied the speculation when contacted by BusinessLive.
Established in 1982, Channel 4 is publicly owned and receives its funding through advertising. The broadcaster then reinvests money it makes into new shows, mostly produced by independent 海角视频 production companies.
Mr Olusoga, who is known for presenting factual series and documentaries including the BBC series A House Through Time and Black and British: A Forgotten History , co-founded the production company Uplands Television four years ago.
The company secured funding and its first commission from Channel 4 which aired its documentary Unremembered: Britain's Forgotten War Heroes.
The programme, presented by Labour MP David Lammy, led to the government and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission apologising for failures to commemorate African and Asian troops who died serving Britain during the First World War.
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Mr Olusoga said the debate about the privatisation had become “distorted” and about the broadcaster itself rather than the 300 companies that produce its programmes.
He added that the government risked undoing the work of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government of the 1980s, which he said had created Channel 4 to introduce entrepreneurship into the British television industry.
Mr Olusoga argued that a privatised channel 4 would have “less space” for history and documentary programmes like Unremembered , as its priority would switch “to maximize profit”.
He said independent production companies in their early stages, looking to develop new programmes and formats and sell them around the world, would be made “fundamentally vulnerable” if Channel 4 was privatised.
The TV historian said he was “pretty sure” he and his business partner, the former Panorama producer Mike Smith, would have decided their company would not have been viable if they had entered the industry without Channel 4 in its current model.
“Multiple companies across this country, not just in Bristol will be sitting down and working out whether their business model is still viable," he said.
"[Privatisation] risks taking away one source of commission and support for certain types of programmes. I don't think Britain needs any more commercial channels.
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"What Britain needs is its unique ecology of public service and commercial broadcasting, that's created the real jewel in all of this, which is not the broadcaster but the independent production sector.
"That's what's bringing in the business, the soft power of British culture and British ideas, British talent going all over the world.
“That's the bit that's invisible to people looking at this from outside, who might think this sounds like a good idea to make Channel 4 ‘stronger’ and all of the language used by the government.
"Those companies, especially those early companies that might go on to make new ideas, create new formats and bring money and jobs into Britain, will be less secure and may be less viable or unviable, if Channel 4 becomes a very different sort of broadcaster."
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Channel 4 opened a new creative hub in Bristol at the start of last year to allow it to tap into talent pools in the South West and Wales by placing commissioning powers outside of London.
The award-winning Plimsoll Productions is headquartered on Whiteladies Road in Bristol, and distributes to more than 50 countries worldwide.
As well as Hostile Planet with Bear Grylls (National Geographic), its portfolio of productions includes Rescue Dog to Super Dog and Sit Baby Sit for Channel 4.
Its founder Mr Mansfield said it was “a critical moment” for the independent production sector in Bristol.
He questioned whether selling the channel to a private buyer would help the government's “levelling up” agenda of stimulating growth outside the capital and the South East of England.
Mr Mansfield played a key part in bringing Channel 4 to its base in Finzels Reach in Bristol, and said it was “doubtful” it and Channel 4’s other regional hubs in Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester would exist had Channel 4 been in private hands.
He added that Channel 4 had been a “big part of the story” for many independent production companies in Bristol, including the Academy Award-winning creator of Wallace and Gromit Aardman Animations.
Mr Mansfield said: “Privatisation of Channel 4 would be a very bad thing for the 海角视频 creative economies in general and for 海角视频 plc in general as well.
“The creative industries generate a huge amount of revenue for this country. As far as Bristol is concerned, we have a lot of independent production companies in Bristol and many of them are sustained by work from Channel 4.
“So in my view, it's important the politicians don’t get too fixated just on the channel, they should look at what’s behind it. Essentially, Channel 4 established the independent production sector.
“If Channel 4 falls into private hands, it will become part of a media group that has its own production capabilities and independent producers will get squeezed out, including the independent producers in Bristol.
“I think it would be a retrograde step for the creative sector as a whole and it will have a significant impact on Bristol, because many of its independent production companies depend on Channel 4 for their work.
“Interestingly, we’re not one of them, most of our work comes from the United States. However, I passionately believe in Channel 4’s public service purpose and Bristol’s creative sector and I know Bristol's creative sector will be diminished if it is taken into private hands.”
A Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport spokesperson said: "We're looking at reform to protect Channel 4's long term future, which will be in the interests of independent film producers.
"We're undertaking an open consultation before making a decision and we encourage all those with views to take part.
"The independent production sector in the 海角视频 is thriving and will continue to do so. We are hearing a wide variety of views from these types of businesses on Channel 4."
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