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Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#21

Post by djaychela »

Zhyl wrote: post #2

From a Hackernews point of view the most relevant part of this will be their video distribution platform 'All4' (previously '4 On Demand'). All4 is one of the buggiest platforms of all of the big channels. The others may be lacking in features but even Channel 5 has a pretty smooth user experience. All4 consistently crashes, shows ads but then no programme, doesn't show programmes in its search results, doesn't keep…

Not had any of those issues for me for -years-. There were definitely issues many years ago, but I find All4 (both on computer and smart TV) to work very well, remembering pretty much exactly where I left off across programs and platforms.

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#22

Post by julian55 »

Zhyl wrote: post #2

From a Hackernews point of view the most relevant part of this will be their video distribution platform 'All4' (previously '4 On Demand'). All4 is one of the buggiest platforms of all of the big channels. The others may be lacking in features but even Channel 5 has a pretty smooth user experience. All4 consistently crashes, shows ads but then no programme, doesn't show programmes in its search results, doesn't keep…

All4 has always worked fine for me, I find Channel 5 the least reliable of UK TV channels for streaming. Having said that, I usually record interesting Channel 4 programmes so I can skip the ads!

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#23

Post by shapefrog »

djbebs wrote: post #14
xnorswap wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it's owned by the government but doesn't take any government funding.

Who owns the capital? If it's the government, then yes, it's state funded even if it doesn't require constant capital injections

It is funding the state not being funded by the state.

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#24

Post by rowanajmarshall »

gpmcadam wrote: post #6

Its odd in a democracy in 2022 that a government should own a media/news organisation. If the argument that this is profitable is true, then it should be capable of carrying on its endeavours privately with no issue whatsoever.

State-owned media is a common part of democracies. The UK has the BBC and Channel 4, France has france.tv, Germany has ARD, Norway has NRK.

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#25

Post by shapefrog »

gpmcadam wrote: post #6

Its odd in a democracy in 2022 that a government should own a media/news organisation. If the argument that this is profitable is true, then it should be capable of carrying on its endeavours privately with no issue whatsoever.

I think you are confused as to the difference between democracy and capitalism.

Indeed privatisation could be seen as anti-democratic; the motivation to sell it off (to sympathetic parties?) is because it is critical of your government or you want to maintain control of the media once you are voted out of power.

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#26

Post by monkeycantype »

gpmcadam wrote: post #6

Its odd in a democracy in 2022 that a government should own a media/news organisation. If the argument that this is profitable is true, then it should be capable of carrying on its endeavours privately with no issue whatsoever.

It publicly owned, it doesn't represent the government, which is why the government wants to sell it off

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#27

Post by onion2k »

djbebs wrote: post #14
xnorswap wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it's owned by the government but doesn't take any government funding.

Who owns the capital? If it's the government, then yes, it's state funded even if it doesn't require constant capital injections

Can you really call something 'state funded' if it receives no funds from the state? I can't see any justification for that definition.

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#28

Post by andrepd »

Zhyl wrote: post #2

From a Hackernews point of view the most relevant part of this will be their video distribution platform 'All4' (previously '4 On Demand'). All4 is one of the buggiest platforms of all of the big channels. The others may be lacking in features but even Channel 5 has a pretty smooth user experience. All4 consistently crashes, shows ads but then no programme, doesn't show programmes in its search results, doesn't keep…

Yes, yet more public assets are being sold off to private concerns, this time for doing things the current government doesn't like, but look at the positive side: their online streaming might become less buggy /s

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#29

Post by agd »

stuaxo wrote: post #5

This is vandalism. Channel 4 uses no government money and has a remit to show programming other channels cannot. The only reason this is on the table is because they critised the current government.

Boris is letting Nadine Dorries do what she wants as a thank you for her unswerving loyalty. It's incredible someone so incompetent and frankly, stupid, is a cabinet minister.

Re: Channel 4 privatisation to go ahead

#30

Post by unmole »

janekm wrote: post #19
gpmcadam wrote: post #6

Its odd in a democracy in 2022 that a government should own a media/news organisation. If the argument that this is profitable is true, then it should be capable of carrying on its endeavours privately with no issue whatsoever.

It is not even remotely odd, it is a vital defence of that same democracy. Private ownership of the media is a direct path to authoritarianism (Hungary: Orban, Italy: Berlusconi). When the government is "aligned" with the same media moguls who control the media (TV, newspapers) you have a huge problem for a democracy. Channel 4 was one of the few entities in the UK that stood out from that trend. In the current conte…

> Private ownership of the media is a direct path to authoritarianism

State owned media can be a more direct path.

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