Our Ref: FOI/2013/64

 

Dear Mr Fieldsend,

 

Thank you for your request for information made under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, which we received on 18^th July 2013. Your request
was set out as follows:

 

“I have read a previous "FOI" from Channel 4 stating that Channel 4
"unlike the BBC" receives no public funding and it is funded entirely by
advertisements, However the BBC states in a request from me that a TV
licence is for ALL channels not just the BBC,

 

Surely if I have to pay something to watch Channel 4 then Channel 4 is in
fact public funded as I am a member of the general public.

 

Please could you clear this up for me and tell me;

 

1: Why I have to pay a licence fee to watch your channel

2: How much of the licence fee goes to Channel 4

 

If you do not receive any of the licence fee;

 

3: Why am I being told I have to pay to watch Channel 4”

 

We are dealing with your request under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and we will reply to you within 20 working days of
our receipt of your request. In some circumstances a fee may be payable
and if that is the case, we will let you know the likely charges before
proceeding.

 

If you have any queries about this email, please contact us.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

FOI Admin Team

 

Channel 4

[1][Channel 4 request email]

Tel + 44 (0) 20 7306 8777

Fax + 44 (0) 20 7306 8351

 

[2]www.channel4.com

 

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References

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1. mailto:[Channel 4 request email]
2. http://www.channel4.com/

Our Ref: FOI/2013/64

 

Dear Mr Fieldsend,

 

Thank you for your request for information made under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, which we received on 18^th July 2013. Your request
was regarding the TV Licence fee and Channel 4.

 

Please note that Section 363 of the Communications Act makes it an offence
to install or use a television receiver to watch or record any television
programmes as they’re being shown on television without a TV Licence.

 

Although the Communications Act requires a valid Licence to watch any TV
channel, Section 365 of that Act requires that a person to whom a TV
Licence is issued must pay a fee to the BBC. The BBC is the only recipient
of TV Licence fee revenue. For more information about how the BBC spends
the TV Licence fee, please read the information available via the
following link:
[1]http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-yo....

 

We can confirm that Channel 4 is a publicly-owned, but commercially-funded
public service broadcaster. Channel 4 was launched on 2nd November 1982
with a unique business model, under the Broadcasting Act 1981. We are
funded predominantly by advertising and sponsorship, but unlike other
broadcasters such as ITV, Channel 4 is not shareholder owned. Furthermore,
we do not receive any public funding, including any portion of the TV
Licence fee. You can find more information about our funding in our annual
report, which is available via our website at
[2]http://www.channel4.com/info/corporate/a.... You can also
access copies of all previous annual reports via this link.

 

Many thanks for your interest in Channel 4.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

FOI Admin Team

 

Channel 4

[3][Channel 4 request email]

Tel + 44 (0) 20 7306 8777

 

[4]www.channel4.com

 

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References

Visible links
1. http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-yo...
2. http://www.channel4.com/info/corporate/a...
3. mailto:[Channel 4 request email]
4. http://www.channel4.com/