Channel 4 chief executive, Michael Jackson, has stood up to the opinions of his fellow commercial broadcasters by coming out in support of the BBC’s plans to create more digital channels.
Recent weeks have seen increasing pressure on the Government and threats to sue from the commercial TV community, who feel that publicly funded digital channels represent unfair competition. However, Jackson stated in the Independent newspaper today that he felt that if properly executed, the BBC’s plans could benefit everyone involved in the industry.
“We have as much to fear as most from the corporation’s digital expansion plans, with a revamped and handsomely financed BBC3 promising to target the younger audience that C4 and E4 have successfully made their own.” Jackson admitted, but added that to oppose the plans, “smacks of putting self interest before the interests of viewers and the longer term benefits that should accrue to the digital TV market as a whole.”
While it may come from the public purse, rather than the commercial revenue that drives its other broadcasters, the BBC’s £120m first year investment in its digital ventures “can only help to rasie the quality and increase the range of digital television”, argued Jackson.
“Digital TV has been sold on the promise of an explosion in viewing options but has yet to capture the imagination of the majority of the British public.”
Jackson’s only proviso is that the BBC must continue in its unique public service duties, in order to justify its public funding. “The key question for the secretary of state for media, Tessa Jowell, is not whether these BBC channels exist but how effectively they are regulated.” he stated.
Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com www.independent.co.uk
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