Lords question Channel 4 on general election debates

• Parliament TV: Broadcast General Election Debates
• Inquiry: Broadcast General Election Debates
• Select Committee on Communications

Background

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.

Witnesses

Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster

At 3.30 pm, from Channel 4:

• Dorothy Byrne, Head of News and Current Affairs
• Dan Brooke, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

The Committee will ask what Channel 4 will bring to the debates, and seek their ideas on possible reforms to the way in which the debates are run.

At 4.15 pm:

• Professor Stewart Purvis, City University, London
• Phil Harding, Media Consultant and former Controller of Editorial Policy, BBC

Members will explore with Profesor Purvis and Mr Harding the merits of the current and alternative models for organising the broadcast General Election debates.

Further information

• About Committees: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch Committees