More4?

MPs are calling for more oversight over Channel 4, warning that plans to expand the channel will significantly increase its influence.

The Digital Economy Bill, presented to the House of Commons on 16 March 2010, will expand Channel 4’s public service broadcasting remit over its other televisions channels including E4, More4, Film4 and online services.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown delivers his speech during the Digital Britain Summit in London. (REUTERS)

According to the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee this expansion will make Channel 4 more like the BBC.

However, unlike the BBC, Channel 4 has up until now generated all its revenue commercially.

Last year there was debate about whether the BBC’s £130m-a-year switchover surplus should be used to reinvent Channel 4 or help get broadband in every home in time for the Olympics.

OFCOM published its report Putting Viewers First, after its second review of public service broadcasting, recommending that the surplus be used to give Channel 4 leverage in striking a deal with BBC Worldwide or Channel Five to secure its commercial future.

However, Lord Stephen Carter suggested in his Digital Britain report that the surplus should be used to help bring broadband to every home in the UK in time for the London Olympics.

This report lead directly to the Digital Economy Bill which will require Channel 4 to provide public service content on a range of media.

At the same time as Channel 4 is being expanded the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has also claimed that the channel appears to be failing to fulfil its original public service broadcasting remit.

Currently the publicly owned broadcaster’s schedule is being dominated by imported US comedies such as Frasier, Friends and Will and Grace.

Channel 4 currently spends only £153m of its total expenditure of £516m on ‘PSB genres’ such as drama, education and the arts

So this begs the question as to why a Channel 4′s remit is being expanded when it is failing to meet its original one?

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