The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 10 July 2021.
England’s success in this tournament has made us all proud and shown again how much joy football can bring.
Sadly ticket prices have been outrageous, pricing out genuine fans.
As we bid for 2030, we must make it affordable to watch the World Cup on home soil for the first time since 1966. Let’s bring football home.
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 10 July 2021.
To Gareth Southgate and our England heroes, I want to say thank you.
On and off the field, you’ve shown the best of England during this tournament.
You’ve been as fearless as the three lions on our crest. You’ve lit up this tournament. And in spite of those who tried to undermine you, you’ve used your platform to stand up for our shared values as a country.
In doing so, you have become role models not just to a generation of young people, but to an entire nation.
I want you to know that as you line up at Wembley today, the whole of England will be bursting with pride watching you.
We still believe. Bring it home.
The statement made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in the House of Commons on 6 July 2021.
Today, we are launching a consultation on the future ownership of Channel Four Television Corporation.
Since its creation almost 40 years ago by a Conservative Government, Channel 4 has delivered on its remit, aims and objectives. But, in that time, the broadcasting landscape has changed beyond recognition, and continues to change apace.
Increased global competition, changing audience habits, the decline of linear advertising revenue and a wave of consolidation in the sector all pose challenges.
The consultation therefore asks for views and evidence on what ownership model and remit will best support Channel 4 to thrive for another 40 years and beyond.
It is the Government’s current view, to be tested through the consultation, that a new ownership model would give Channel 4 the broadest range of tools to continue to thrive in the face of these new challenges.
There are constraints that come with public ownership, and a new owner could bring access and benefits, including access to capital, new strategic partnerships and to the international markets.
As we have set out before, we believe that the need for public service broadcasting in the UK is as strong as ever. We want to see Channel 4 keep its place at the heart of British broadcasting and continue to support the great creative economy in this country. We want to put it on a footing to flourish for decades to come. Now is therefore the time to test whether an alternative ownership model may be better for the broadcaster and better for the country.
This consultation forms a key part of the Government’s wider strategic review of public service broadcasting, along- side Ofcom’s own reflection exercise. Together, our work will ensure that our public service broadcasters and the wider broadcasting framework are fit for the 21st century.
The consultation can be accessed from today on gov.uk and will run for 10 weeks, closing on 14 September 2021 at 11.45 pm. A copy of the consultation will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, on 10 July 2021.
These allegations raise very serious questions about Conservative cronyism at the heart of the BBC.
If Robbie Gibb is in post to further Tory interests rather than the public interest, then he is in the wrong job.
Oliver Dowden must join the calls for him to resign or the BBC must sack him immediately for the sake of its own integrity.
The statement made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in the House of Commons on 24 June 2021.
On 1 February 2021, News UK submitted an application to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport requesting that I release in full the undertakings that were accepted by the then Secretary of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Jeremy Wright), in 2019, to replace conditions put in place by the then Secretary of State for Trade, the right hon. John Biffin MP, in 1981.
News UK has submitted that the changes in the newspaper industry and the challenges posed by the covid-19 pandemic mean that the undertakings are no longer necessary.
They note that the undertakings place them at a competitive disadvantage to other newspapers, and that the release is necessary to allow the continued provision of quality news by The Times and The Sunday Times.
Copies of the invitation to comment and the application documents will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The deadline for comments is 5 pm on 15 July. This application will be considered in a quasi-judicial manner through a fair and transparent process.
If, after considering the responses, I am minded to release, or vary the undertakings, there will be a further consultation on my decision as required by legislation.
The comments made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 25 June 2021.
Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of organisations across the country to survive and protected hundreds of thousands of jobs. Now, as we look forward to full reopening, this funding shows our commitment to stand behind culture and heritage all the way through the pandemic.
This round of funding will provide a further boost to help organisations build back better and ensure we can support more of those in need – safeguarding our precious culture and heritage, and the jobs this supports.
The comments made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 25 June 2021.
We are working flat out to find a way to get festivals back up and running safely, so it’s brilliant that Latitude Festival will go ahead as part of the Events Research Programme and build on the success of our pilots at Download and Sefton Park.
The comments made by Alison McGovern, the Shadow Culture Minister, on 23 June 2021.
As requested by the Government, Directors of Public Health, events companies and members of the public put in every effort to test safe ways to go ahead with live music, nightclubs, sports events and other large scale events. And yet now the Government won’t share the data to confirm if it works and allow them to plan.
Businesses need to be able to plan and the public should know what is possible to make sure the summer is both safe and fun. They all deserve a lot better than this messing about from the Conservatives. Why does Boris Johnson find it so hard to be transparent with us?
The article written by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 23 June 2021.
Think of the last TV show you recommended to a friend. In my house, we’re hooked on Spiral, the French police procedural. In the office, all the talk is about Mare of Easttown.
Whatever your choice, I’ll bet you didn’t switch on your TV and watch it live, alongside millions of others. When Line of Duty drew record-breaking live viewing figures earlier this year, it was a rare exception to the new broadcasting rule. Traditional viewing habits are dead. We now live in a world of smart TVs and streaming sticks, catch-up and on-demand; of that nightly dilemma between Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Amazon Prime.
It’s a golden age for TV – and I want to keep it that way. But to do that, we need the healthiest broadcasting landscape: one that is diverse, free and pluralistic. One where streamers can keep churning out brilliant shows, while traditional public service broadcasters retain their place at the centre of the UK’s media ecosystem.
Right now, UK broadcasters are holding their own. Production studios are packed. The BBC and Channel 4 have put out two of the most critically-acclaimed shows of recent years, I May Destroy You and It’s A Sin.
But our broadcasters can’t do it alone – and they certainly can’t compete in a digital world while operating under analogue rules.
So in the Autumn, I plan to bring forward a White Paper on the future of broadcasting, and how we can make it fit for the 21st century.
First, we need to level the playing field, and address one blatant disparity forcing traditional broadcasters to compete with one hand tied behind their backs. Every “linear” broadcaster – BBC, Sky, etc. – has to comply with stringent content and audience protection standards.
You might assume the same is true of video-on-demand services like Amazon Prime and Disney+. You’d be wrong. Of course, some have done an admirable job of introducing their own procedures – such as Netflix’s voluntary age ratings partnership with the BBFC. But this is all on an ad-hoc and inconsistent basis.
So this summer we will consult on whether it’s time to set the same basic rules for video-on-demand services as we do for traditional broadcasters.
The White Paper will also set out proposals on how we make sure public service broadcasters are given sufficient visibility – aka “prominence” – on different online platforms, and ensure viewers can continue to find and access original and high-quality British content.
Amidst all this TV upheaval, it’s time to consider the long-term future of one broadcaster in particular: Channel 4. When Channel 4 joined the airwaves in 1982, there were just three other terrestrial TV stations, and there was a lively debate about how to put the latest available set of bandwidths to best use. The main reason Channel 4 won that competition and was set up as a publicly-owned, commercially-run station was to provide greater choice.
Four decades later, choice is no longer an issue. Commercial satellite and digital terrestrial TV had already pushed channel numbers into the hundreds before the big online streamers exploded onto our screens.
Channel 4 has delivered on its remit since being established, and has done an excellent job in managing the recent market upheaval.
But this is 2021, not 1982 – and the broadcasting landscape has changed beyond all recognition.
I want to make sure Channel 4 thrives for another 40 years, and so I believe it’s time to seriously consider changes to its current public ownership model. That model severely restricts Channel 4’s ability to access capital and compete with commercial broadcasters by investing in technology and programming.
In order to secure its long-term success, this summer I will consult on the sale of Channel 4 – and I will be proceeding on the basis that an alternative ownership model (but one where it keeps its public service remit) may be better for the broadcaster, and better for the country. Private investment would mean more content, more jobs – and a more sustainable future for Channel 4.
In an era of fake news and huge technological change, we need trusted and respected media providers more than ever. We’re taking steps to make sure they keep their place at the heart of British broadcasting, whatever the future holds.
The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 23 June 2021.
Channel Four has a unique role in British broadcasting as a company owned by the British public which ploughs its profits into commissioning new programming, creating jobs and discovering new talent.
The Government, having wasted billions on crony contracts and vanity projects, are now looking for a short term-cash boost by selling off one of our great British assets to the highest foreign bidder. They are selling Britain short.