Johnson plays down C4 merger speculation with BT Vision

LONDON - Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson has distanced the broadcaster from reports regarding ongoing merger talks between the broadcaster and BT Vision.

Luke Johnson: chairman of Channel 4
Luke Johnson: chairman of Channel 4

Speaking exclusively to Mediaweek.co.uk, Johnson said he was confused by the piece which first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph.

Johnson said: "I am not sure how the story came about, as we held a meeting with BT Vision more than a year ago. The company might have submitted an interest in Channel 4 to Lord Carter - however, I have no idea whether they have or haven't at this stage."

Lord Stephen Carter, currently working on the final draft of the Digital Britain report, said at NESTA last week that a number of companies had expressed an interest in Channel 4 following the release of the interim report that laid out the need to provide alternative PSB provision.

Johnson, today, said he wasn't sure what other companies might have submitted an interest in Channel 4. The deadline for responses to communications minister Carter's interim Digital Britain report, published in January, is 12 March.

Andy Duncan, Channel 4's chief executive, is heading up all possible merger talks alongside Anne Bulford, the broadcaster's group finance director.

Nathalie Schwarz, new business and corporate development director and fellow board director, has also been given the responsibility of identifying possible merger solutions with Channel 4's preferred partner, BBC Worldwide.

Her role has remained unclear since Channel 4 pulled the plug on its radio venture last October, which Schwarz was brought into create, and since the broadcaster's major new business activity, Kangaroo, was blocked by the Competition Commission last month.

Mediaweek.co.uk understands that BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 representatives have been meeting regularly to discuss possible tie-ups and have now started including their commercial directors in talks as plans mature.

Last week, speculation emerged that ITV had proposed a three-way merger between itself, Channel 4 and Five as a solution to its financial problems and those of the wider commercial TV sector. ITV refused to comment on the speculation.

Johnson, at the Media Summit last week, said he was "genuinely open-minded about any option" that helped guarantee Channel 4's future however he was against mergers with ITV and Five, preferring a "proper auction" of Channel 4 to get a decent price for the broadcaster, rather than a "messy deal".

Market Reports

Get unprecedented new-business intelligence with access to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s new Market Reports.

Find out more

Enjoying ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s content?

 Get unlimited access to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s premium content for your whole company with a corporate licence.

Upgrade access

Looking for a new job?

Get the latest creative jobs in advertising, media, marketing and digital delivered directly to your inbox each day.

Create an alert now

Partner content