Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide tie-up talks "encouraging", says Bradshaw

Speaking at a House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select committee hearing, Bradshaw reiterated the Government's support for a tie-up between the two to secure Channel 4's future.

State-owned Channel 4 has warned that it faces a funding shortfall of up to £150m a year, as it grapples with lower advertising and a fragmenting audience wrought by digital TV switchover.

However, talks between Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide have been shadowed in recent months as it seeks to appoint a chief executive to replace Andy Duncan and a new chairman to replace Luke Johnson.

Bradshaw answered a wide range of questions under scrutiny from MPs, with a particular focus on the BBC.

He said: "It is seen as open season on the BBC, which is unfortunate.  Like all organisations it needs change and it recognises that. In order to re-legitimize itself, we need to have these discussions."

MPS also quizzed Bradshaw on the future of the BBC Trust, set up in 2005 to regulate the BBC.

He said: "We have a view that the Trust is not sustainable.  I want to see a structure where the BBC defends itself but is properly regulated and not sure that it does it that well."

Bradshaw agreed that the BBC could perform with external regulation, adding "possibly" when asked if the regulatory role could be carried out by Ofcom.