The UK government is pushing ahead with its plans to privatise Channel 4, despite opposition from many in the advertising industry.
Following a consultation, the culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, has decided to move forward with a sale of the broadcaster behind It's a Sin, Gogglebox and the UK's Paralympic coverage.
A DCMS spokesperson said: "Following an extensive consultation on the future ownership of Channel 4, the culture secretary has come to a decision and is now consulting with cabinet colleagues.
“We want Channel 4 to flourish and thrive in the face of a rapidly-changing media landscape. It holds a cherished place in our broadcasting landscape and we want that to remain the case.
"We set out our preferred option for a change of ownership to give the corporation new freedoms to innovate and grow while continuing to make an important economic, social and cultural contribution to the UK. We will announce further details shortly."
Labour's shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said the decision to push ahead with privatisation was for "ideological reasons" and a "screams of a rudderless government".
She said: "Selling off Channel 4, which doesn't cost the taxpayer a penny anyway, to what is likely to be a foreign company, is cultural vandalism. It will cost jobs and opportunities in the North and Yorkshire, and hit the wider British creative economy."
±±¾©Èü³µpk10 organised an open letter from the advertising industry calling for the government to "think again" about its plans for Channel 4. Industry bodies including ISBA, the IPA and the Advertising Association signed the letter, dubbed 4 The People.
The letter described Channel 4 as a "remarkable public-private partnership success story" and said it would be "short-sighted to undermine this valuable vehicle for commercial creativity".
±±¾©Èü³µpk10 submitted the letter alongside quotes from distinguished figures from across the industry to the government consultation.
In a statement, Channel 4 said: "With over 60,000 submissions to the government’s public consultation, it is disappointing that today’s announcement has been made without formally recognising the significant public interest concerns which have been raised."
Channel 4 said it had recently presented the DCMS with a "real alternative" to privatisation that would "safeguard its future financial stability".
Channel 4 has been garlanded with plaudits for its programing, branding and ad sales operation: , Channel 4 last year won Brand of the Year at the Marketing Society Awards after another successful Paralympics and Channel 4 Sales won Sales Team of the Year at the most recent Media Week Awards.
The broadcaster, which is publicly owned but funded by advertising, opened its new headquarters in Leeds last year after an earlier change prompted by the government. After shelving a sale in 2017 the government forced the broadcaster to move staff out of London.
The Channel 4 statement continued: "Channel 4 remains legally committed to its unique public-service remit. The focus for the organisation will be on how we can ensure we deliver the remit to both our viewers and the British creative economy across the whole of the UK.
"The proposal to privatise Channel 4 will require a lengthy legislative process and political debate. We will of course continue to engage with DCMS, government and parliament, and do everything we can to ensure that Channel 4 continues to play its unique part in Britain’s creative ecology and national life."
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