Lord Carter plays down C4/BBC Worldwide proposals

Lord Carter claims that a tie-up between BBC Worldwide and Channel 4 was “not a firm proposal” in his Digital Britain report and said that subsequent descriptions of the option as a merger were “very unhelpful”.

Speaking at the MediaGuardian Changing Media Summit in London today, the communications, technology and broadcasting minister said: “It is not a firm proposal, it is an option and we made clear that we are looking at other options.

“The merger description has been very unhelpful,” he added.

Carter expressed his annoyance at the media speculation and focus on the Channel 4 / BBC Worldwide questions and said he believes the point of the Digital Britain report is to act as a “sectoral champion project, not a intervention project”.

“We are not looking to force marriages,” he said. “The genesis of the thinking [behind the report] is not based upon the Channel 4 question. It is an important question but it has been over-written.”

However, Carter reiterated his point that the UK needs to have plurality of public service content beyond the BBC and said the question is now about how to administer a second public service broadcasting entity.

“[I have] long held the view, one I think the BBC holds, that a competitive provider for public service content is good for everyone,” he said. “If all we had was the BBC and partnerships, I don’t think that would be a good outcome.

“As long as it [a second PSB entity] doesn’t distort the market – meaning a tightly drawn remit – it is good for the market.”

Carter also said that he thinks there may be other options for companies in the sector to be given “more formal” responsibilities to fill PSB gaps.

The final Digital Britain report could be published as early as May 15, according to Carter.