Story from Media Guardian:
Dorries said the broader collapse in Netflix tech stocks made the case for privatising Channel 4 stronger, not weaker.The broadcaster needed to accept the sale was inevitable and that the proposed alternatives were not acceptable.“It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee: Channel 4 is being sold, subject to a vote. I did spend my entire Easter recess reassuring myself that we are in a position where this will happen. And it is very much a case that it is being sold.“The arguments for not selling it – the reasons for not selling it – we have been through hoops discussing and analysing those reasons. But the fundamental points don’t change, the arguments don’t change: it is owned by the government, and any borrowings or investment stand against the government’s balance sheet.”She said the government would keep the public service remit for a privatised channel 4 for the next 10 years, but after that it was up to the channel’s new owners to decide what they wanted to do with it – which could include ditching the channel’s news coverage.“I’m not going to justify a news programme whose news anchor went out shouting obscenities about the Conservative party,” she said. “So, you know, they don’t do themselves any favours sometimes, the news programme.”
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