It says there has been a “recent meeting” between Cabinet Office minister Matthew Hancock and two unnamed secretaries of state.
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It’s emerged that the UK Government is considering the sale of Channel 4 as it looks to pay down the country’s debt.
A portion of the visible text read: “Work should proceed to examine the options of extracting greater public value from the Channel 4 corporation, focusing on privatisation options in particular”.
According to Steve Blacks, the Downing Street photographer, an unknown man was snapped heading into 10 Downing Street with an “official” document concerning the future of Channel 4.
In exchanges in the Commons, Mr Vaizey said the value of Channel 4’s public stake had not been estimated by the Government.
The file appear to relate to the government’s media department.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Media said no decision had been taken regarding the “reform of Channel 4”.
It continued: “This submission outlines the options we propose to explore, working with ShEx and the CO”.
Channel 4 executives have been strongly opposed to privatisation options and the broadcaster’s chairman, Lord Burns, is has put forth his own options centred on Channel 4 continuing as a not-for-profit operation.
Reports have suggested that the government could raise around £1 billion by privatitising Channel 4.
Speaking to The Guardian, Snow, the channel’s longest serving and most loved journalist, said there was a demand for Channel 4’s unique approach to its news coverage which has instilled trust from its viewers.
Proposals to privatise Channel Four were drawn up by the Government earlier a year ago but the idea was blocked by the Liberal Democrats.
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Channel 4 was launched in 1982 with a remit to promote innovative and experimental programming and to compete with the state-owned BBC and ITV.
