Very unusually I have not been in the Commons Chamber today. This morning I was out visiting the headquarters of Channel 5 as part of my Industry and Parliament Fellowship programme. ( Incidentally as I was walking to the tube I heard the Shadow Education Secretary proudly remind listeners to Radio 4 ‘s Today programme that it was the last Labour Government had introduced Academies! )
Channel 5 are the only public service broadcaster in private hands and are the smallest of our public service broadcasters. I spent the morning meeting with various key personnel from the Company and hearing at first hand the challenges they face.
We are very lucky in the UK to have such a vibrant broadcasting industry but we must not be complacent. All the broadcasters who are not funded by the licence fee have constantly to look for ways to protect their revenues and I have been particularly interested in the effect of Ofcom regulation has on the business model.
David Nuttall 