There are signs that the scheme, reported in The Times, could run up against political opposition. John Whittingdale, MP, chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, said: "This is essentially a plan aimed at taking public money surreptitiously, because it take profits away from the BBC, and forces the licence fee to go up. But I know Channel 4 is keen on it, because it thinks that it would be difficult for it to justify taking public money directly."