BBC cool on Channel 4 tie-up

The BBC told ministers yesterday that while it recognised it could do more to help struggling commercial broadcasters, a proposed joint venture between its commercial arm and Channel 4 would not solve its rival's financial problems.

The link between BBC Worldwide and C4 is one of the proposals that the Digital Britain review - headed by Lord Carter, the communications minister - is investigating.

In its submission to the review, the BBC said: "A BBC which focused entirely on its own success, which refused to help the wider sector to make its own successful migration to digital, would not deserve public or political support."

But it added the financial benefits of a BBCW/C4 tie-up would not be sufficient to fund an alternative public-service broadcaster as the government says it wants to do. (http://www.ft.com)

Connect with friends all over the world. Get Yahoo! India Messenger at http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/?wm=n/