The Channel 4 "Bidding Wars"

[nwtv2003]

Channel 4 is obliged to provide a news service and if its current agreement with ITN is soon to expire (as it almost certainly is), they are obliged to enter into discussions to recontract with them - or another suitable provider - to ensure that the required service continues without disruption. As such, any negotiations of that nature are strictly business as usual, it can't stop just because the Government is trying to make a political issue of the channel's funding and ownership.

Exactly right. The chances of any of the main five channels being allowed to remove their news coverage is nil - it is just The Guardian misleading.

I disagree, we all know the terrestrial channels are not going to remove News requirements anytime soon. I think the point of the article is that Channel 4 want ITN to continue with News provision for as long as possible and to get a contract set in stone which is ensures and guarantees it’s future for the medium term at least. 

Any private owner may not want ITN to carry on with the News, getting ITN tied down for the medium term means that Channel 4 News will continue in its current capacity come privatisation.