Lords question Channel 4 on TV election debates
On Tuesday 11 March, the House of Lords Communications Committee will explore the role of Channel 4 in broadcast General Election debates.
In 2010, Channel 4 aired a debate between the prospective Chancellors of the Exchequer, ‘Ask the Chancellors', but did not broadcast a Prime Ministerial debate.
They have made clear their interest in being involved in the broadcast of Prime Ministerial debates in 2015, however, and appear to be in early discussions with the BBC, ITV and Sky to that end.
At 3.30pm, the Committee will put questions to Dorothy Byrne, Head of News and Current Affairs and Dan Brooke, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, about what Channel 4 will bring to the debates, as well as about possible reforms to the way in which the debates are run.
Following on, at 4.15pm, the Committee will explore the merits of the current and alternative models for organising the broadcast General Election debates, with Professor Stewart Purvis, City University, London and Phil Harding, Media consultant and former Controller of Editorial Policy, BBC.
The evidence sessions will take place on Tuesday 11 March at 3.30pm in Committee Room 2 of the House of Lords.
