Gordon Brown: 'We must help Channel 4'

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Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that the government must help Channel 4.

Speaking ahead of yesterday's publication of the Digital Britain report, Brown praised the broadcaster for the quality of its television and theatrical output.

Brown told The Times: "We also need to help Channel 4 to secure its future.

"In its short history, the station has produced Oscar-winning films and some of the most popular and highest-quality programming. But it now requires long-term stability to develop as a truly global player."

The Digital Britain report revealed that Channel 4 will not be forced to merge with rival Five but will receive financial assistance from the government to cooperate with BBC Worldwide.

Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson said: "We welcome the government's explicit rejection of a partial privatisation of C4 through a forced commercial merger and the encouragement Digital Britain gives to our discussions about partnership with BBC Worldwide.

"The government shares our vision of Channel 4 as a key public service innovator in the emerging fully digital environment."

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Gotta agree Channel 4 does show some really good programmes. But I hope they don't merge Channel 4 and Five up together.

Go Gordon!!!

I think the time after this recession will be the time to privatise the BBC because it is paying its members unsustainable amounts of public funds and quite frankly it is destroying the other channels despite it being a state company. Perhaps what would be best would be to privatise the BBC and then have a public fund for all channels as long as it goes towards creating programs/media - that would then mean the BBC would not be the monolithic creature that it is. At the least, cut the BBC down.

I do hope Channel 4 is saved, I do love many of its programs, probably more than the BBC but the BBC has good programs aswell. The fact still remains though, that they should not of run up all these debts.

channel 5 always have really old films like western :S

Channel 5 is utter balls. Channel4 is awesome!

Channel 5 is **** I hate it. It is worse than the Hallmark Channel and Itv 3

Gordon Brown needs to stop watching TV, get off his ass, and start sorting global issues out.

If there was no channel 4, i probaly wouldnt watch TV.

Channel 4 have been receiving money from the government for ages, why are they making it sound as if it's a newly introduced thing? Channel 4 is part public broadcaster afterall. They've been talking about things like this for a while now though, and Ofcom even suggested merging ITV, Channel 4 and Five to create a "broadcasting giant" that would rival the BBC. They're all crap in my opinion though. I don't care whatever they do as long as the BBC remains untouched.

BBC is pure ****.