Nadine Dorries has fielded accusations that the government’s decision to sell off Channel 4 is ‘ideologically motivated’ during an LBC radio phone-in session this morning (20 June).
The Conservative government controversially announced earlier this year that it intended to privatise the iconic TV network, which has been publicly owned since its inception in 1982.
During her appearance on the London station’s discussion show, Dorries also claimed that the Conservative Party would not be in power if the public “took too much notice” of Channel 4 News.
'I have said that Channel 4 sometimes doesn't do itself any favours, but I couldn't care less what they report on the news!'
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries stresses that the government's plan to sell Channel 4 is 'not ideological'.@RachelSJohnson | @NadineDorries pic.twitter.com/JFzxxCrP6u
— LBC (@LBC) June 19, 2022
Dorries went on to say that the “narrative” surrounding the government’s decision to sell off the broadcaster was “completely untrue”.
She continued: “The sale of Channel 4 is about saving Channel 4.
“And the reason why we’re selling Channel 4 is because it’s state-owned and Channel 4 wants to raise funding in order to make more of that great content, encourage more of those comedians that you have mentioned.”
She added that the government felt that it needed to “set free” the network, enabling it to raise more funds for its future needs.
Responding to these comments, a Channel 4 spokesperson said: “Channel 4 does not have any debt and has £270m in cash and sufficient funds for investment.
READ MORE: Channel 4 and Barclays partner for money management video series
“Channel 4 also put forward a proposal that would have enabled it to access private-sector capital that would not sit on the public balance sheet to drive new investment in the creative economy.”
It was also put to the Culture Secretary that the broadcaster’s perceived negative coverage of the Conservative Party had partly motivated the decision. Dorries however maintained that this was not the case, arguing: “It’s not ideological.
“I have said that Channel 4 sometimes doesn’t do itself any favours, but I couldn’t care less what they report on the news.
“If anyone listened or took too much notice of what Channel 4 says on the news and took it to heart, we wouldn’t have an 83-seat majority in Parliament.
“So am I worried about Channel 4 News? Is that why I’m selling it? No, I honestly don’t give a fig.”
The government published its White Paper proposing the sale in April this year, claiming that that the network was being constrained by its public ownership which was allegedly preventing it from borrowing or raising capital by issuing shares.
It was also claimed that this was effectively stopping the broadcaster “from making its own content”, due its extensive reliance on advertising revenue.
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