Dawn Airey has met with culture secretary Nadine Dorries for their first meeting since she became Channel 4 interim chair.Dorries revealed during DCMS parliamentary questions today (23rd March) that she had met with Airey and Channel 4 chief exec Alex Mahon to discuss the future ownership model of the PSB.“Discussions are still taking place – I’m yet to reach a decision and when I do all will be considered, including news broadcasting, the future and PSB remit to the nation,” she said in reply to a question from shadow culture minister Chris Elmore about protecting the broadcaster’s commitment to independent journalism beyond this year.Airey was appointed as interim chair in January of this year while Channel 4 continues it seek for a permanent replacement for Charles Gurassa, following the conclusion of his six-year term. Candidates for the role are expected to have experience of ‘stewarding’ a business through a sale.The former Channel 5 chief exec joined the Channel 4 board as a non-executive director in December.The question over Channel 4’s ownership has been dragging on since the summer, with a DCMS white paper in response to its consultation initially expected in the autumn. It has been delayed until an as-yet-unknown date this year.Last month, a group of senior Tory MPs, including former culture secretary Karen Bradley, wrote a letter to prime minister Boris Johsons urging the government to drop its privatisation plans.Introducing C4’s unscripted briefing earlier this week, Channel 4 chief content officer Ian Katz said the discussion around the privatisation has stoked a “healthy” debate about what the broadcaster’s contribution to British audiences and its creative industry “can and should be”.
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