Privatization impacts a public enterprise in various ways. When you think about Chanel 4 you cannot stop fantasizing about monetized content, subscription fees, and a typical capitalist enterprise whose main objective is to make profits. Privatization comes with realignment in ownership and control of media content and entrenches notions of capitalism that profit the Bourgeoisie at the expense of proletariats. However, the important question is how the Chanel 4 content and its form will change when it becomes a commercial media enterprise. Will The Great British Bake Off series become a streaming subscription, pay-per-view or continue to be a public good?
Source: https://youtu.be/qPHvDUIbwyk
Chanel 4 is a social enterprise that uses commercially viable entertainment services and reinvests the gains in the British public content, on a free-to-air basis. The television network funds its programs like News and British Film from commercial programs like Factual Entertainment, a phenomenon known as cross-funding. The content is commissioned from independent producers in the UK, which has seen Chanel 4 work with over 315 production firms yearly. The content features TV, digital streaming, and film, which is 36% of Chanel 4 spending on independent production content. The content is reflective of the diversity within the UK, with Chanel 4 aimed at representing the voiceless, reinventing entertainment, and enriching the culture and experiences of the people of the UK. The content is educative, informative, and entertaining, delivered in various forms, including streaming, TV, broadcasting, and film. That may change if Chanel 4 becomes a commercial television network.
In commercial television networks, the content and its form of presentation are largely economically driven. The content will mostly feature commercial advertising where viewers are subjected to television ads while watching The Great British Bake off. I would not be surprised to find a “Pepsi” advert invoking health benefits and perfect taste like the cakes baked by the amateurs on the show. The content will be twisted to reflect the new reality of television advertisements concurrently with the film and news broadcasting, or feature a story, celebrity, or “brand ambassadors” that represent or tell the story of a brand within a film or entertainment program. The advertising fees are lucrative ventures for commercial television with shows like Good Morning Britain fetching from £3,500 to £4,500 on ITV. The public information will erode to give way to corporate speech because the commercial interests of the television network and the advertisers will come first. Chanel 4 currently offers trustworthy public information without interference from corporate bodies. Their commercialisation will alter the media politics and culture to reflect corporate interests.
Privatization will also enhance the development of streaming content and online media as a form of delivery. With the growth of online communities, The Great British Bake off will generate more online revenue streams through subscriber subscriptions or a pay-per-view model to enhance revenue collection. The content will also feature cultural and political modification to illustrate the preference of the media owners or advertising corporates. For example, a commercial television advert may reflect the politically and culturally correct position during the COVID-19 pandemic to advance commercially driven messages for advertising detergents and sympathising with people affected by the pandemic. Another example is the “Open” diversity and inclusion campaign by Apple to associate the brand with the current developments in the political and cultural space to remain relevant to the consumers so that the firm can generate more sales.