I didn't even realise STV's contract was up for grabs - I assumed it was just the ITV ones. Scrapping STV of it's news provision surely puts STV as a whole at risk considering it's position is very different to ITV's.
A baffling decision, frankly. Better the devil you know and all that, and STV produce output which is far better than most of ITV's, down to earth and innovative (east/west spilts etc). But it's possibly what they get for going out with the begging bowl for money in the first place (unlike UTV). I can't imagine recent press reports some of their output to the SNP would have done them any favours either.
After all the work STV has been doing building up opt-outs etc (which I'm guessing we are now about to lose) they are being replaced by a company (DC Thomson) that can't even run a proper newspaper website (see www.thecourier.co.uk if you don't know what I mean).
I am extremeley disturbed by this turn of events (which will probably now see the end of STV) and am actually now considering voting Tory, given that they are more likely than not going to scrap the proposals. This, voting Tory, is something I would never EVER consider. Well done Bradshaw.
This is precisely why I don't back the idea of these pilots - they are far too open to accusations of political manipuliaton. If you're left begging a Government of any kind for money in producing your news then it is in danger of affecting your independence.
With regards DC Thomson btw, they produce some fantastic papers in the north of Scotland (although it does leave open questions of monopoly, given that they own two papers in the likes of Aberdeen and would then be part of the consortium for the local news on TV as well). With regards websites - well maybe newspapers are a bit fed up of giving their prize content away for sod all?
If you've seen the Evening Times in Glasgow recently I'd be more concerned about their contribution - it's truly gash.
I hope STV, aside from the other concerns raised, have not been punished for the fact their news is more tabloid (ie relevant) than the BBC's offerings. At the moment it provides a good alternative - the last thing we want is a shortbread and tartan clone of the BBC.
Btw - would current employees have their contracts etc guarded by TUPE?
With regards websites - well maybe newspapers are a bit fed up of giving their prize content away for sod all?
I didn't mean the content as such, the whole layout and structure is in DIRE need of an upgrade, but they've never bothered. Do we want the same technological advances in our TV news?
Bad, bad news. I hope Norman, Andrea et al are kept on by the new team. It's The least we deserve as viewers who have had no say in this awful decision.
of SNP