Ownership of Channel 4

That this House is concerned about the Government's plans to privatise Channel 4, a publicly owned company that does not cost the taxpayer a penny; notes that Channel 4 is not run for profit and is therefore free from the need to create return for shareholders; acknowledges that Channel 4's remit to demonstrate innovation, experiment and creativity makes a significant contribution to creating educational and distinctive programming; further acknowledges the substantial contribution Channel 4 makes towards the UK's creative economy and the levelling up agenda; considers that any step towards privatisation would inevitably replace Channel 4's characteristic public service ethos in favour of the narrow interests of shareholder profit; recalls the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications report entitled A Privatised Future for Channel Four? (July 2016), which warned that Channel 4 could be adversely affected by privatisation; further recalls that 96 per cent of people who responded to the Government's consultation on the ownership of Channel 4 disagreed with privatisation; and calls on the Government to end plans to privatise Channel 4.