The BBC and Channel 4 are reported to have held talks with the UK government about the possibility of sharing some operations.
According to Reuters, the discussions included the idea of an equally owned joint venture which would combine E4, Film4 and Channel 4’s streaming service with UKTV, which is owned by the BBC. It would not include Channel 4’s main linear channel, said the report.
Channel 4 already carries content from UKTV on its streaming service.
The report quotes unnamed sources who suggest talks could continue next year depending on the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter.
Speaking during an appearance in front of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in July, Brittin confirmed the BBC had held talks with Channel 4 about a possible joint streaming service. He spoke about a “sovereign platform” that could rival the tech giants.
“There are [sic] an array of commercial, audience, public service, and technical issues, but what we’ll do is explore that as quickly as we are able, because I think that’s something that’s going to be important for public service media,” he added.
