No licence fee cash for C4

Recently there has been a request from Channel Four for some cash help from the money that the TV licence brings in for the BBC, in order for them to continue making public service programmes.

But in reply to these requests the Chairman of the BBC, Sir Michael Lyons, has let it be known that there is no spare cash available.

The suggestion that Channel Four should get a small slice of the TV licence fee actually originates from the media regulator Ofcom; they feel that it is appropriate because Channel Four make such programmes as “Dispatches” and other programmes that offer a public interest.

The figure that Channel Four would like is something in the region of £150 million. Without this cash these types of programme are likely to be shelved, leaving the BBC the only channel making any of these public service programmes.

In the meantime and while all of this discussion continues, Channel Four is facing some difficult financial issues, which they really need to be getting covered, before it is too late.