We do want reform, he said. We do want reform of the licence fee. However, we're not just about driving the amount we get from households higher. My biggest fears are that we just roll on and think it's going to be OK. We don't reform enough. At that point, we don't get regulatory reform and more flexibility. That's my biggest worry. And I think, if we don't do that, we're in trouble.
However, the potential 1.6bn takeover of ITV's broadcasting arm and streaming service, which would end 70 years of independence, is laden with regulatory, political and competition concerns. At a stroke Comcast would control Sky News and ITV News (including its sprawling regional news operation) and become the largest shareholder in ITN, which produces news for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.