If those private equity types can't get their hands on Virgin Media, perhaps they could bid for Channel 4 instead. Because reports yesterday said that PM in waiting Gordon Brown is considering selling off the state owned fourth channel - the government slowly running out of things to sell in order to raise much needed funds. The Times says that, while the Labour Party manifesto is committed to keeping Channel 4 in public ownership, Brown and his officials are seriously considering the implications of selling it off - with some saying the government could make a billion pounds by selling the TV network.
Rumour of the sale comes as media regulator OfCom publishes its report on the whole Celebrity Big Brother debacle from back at the start of the year - you know, all that Shilpa Shetty, Jade Goody, racism nonsense. The regulator has rushed its report out before the next series of normal Big Brother kicks off (next week, I think) partly so producers can be forced to adapt their ways so they are unable to manipulate racism to boost ratings ever again, but mainly so the show's makers can be forced to deliver a slightly humiliating apology before the first edition of the new series. The regulator said that Channel 4 and Endemol made some "serious editorial misjudgments" in its handling of the whole Goody-gate incident.
OfCom chief Ed Richards summarised his organisation's investigation into the affair by telling reporters this morning: "Ofcom takes allegations of racist abuse and bullying on television extremely seriously. An unprecedented number of complaints were received. It is essential that broadcasters are able to air challenging and controversial material but in doing so they must have effective compliance procedures in place and must exercise their editorial duties responsibly".
Labour MP Keith Vaz, who led protests in Parliament as the racism thing unfolded on the CBB show, welcomed the OfCom ruling and again called for C4 chief Andy Duncan to carry the can for his company's failings and resign. Vaz told reporters: "I welcome the adjudication by Ofcom. This is a vindication of the huge number of complaints that were made by viewers. Andy Duncan should now apologise to Shilpa Shetty and realise that the contempt that was shown by them during this whole episode, in my view and that of many of the viewers who complained, now merits his resignation".