Three key reasons why cancelling Channel 4's privatisation makes sense - The Yorkshire Post says

The decision makes sense on a number of levels.

Firstly, with the huge challenges and limited time-frame facing his ‘new’ Government pursuing a controversial policy unpopular with many Tory backbenchers makes little political sense.

Secondly, the economic argument for pursuing the move was always very thin.

This is exemplified by the fact that officials in then Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries’s department had pressured Channel 4 bosses to delete references to the publicly-owned broadcaster having a sustainable future from its annual report due to them being “at odds” with the Government’s privatisation plans.

That such requests were made highlight how questionable the grounds for selling off the broadcaster were.

While the Government argued the move would allow it to compete with the likes of Netflix, station bosses pointed to record revenues as part of their case as to why it was simply not necessary.

Thirdly, while Channel 4’s move to open a regional headquarters in Leeds did not come about without some resistance, it is now widely acknowledged the move has paid dividends both for the broadcaster and the city.

Under privatisation, there is little the Government ultimately would have been able to do to stop any new owner shutting down operations in Yorkshire and other parts of the country to rationalise their work in London. That should now be avoided if common sense prevails.