Well its nowhere to be seen on the Conservative app for the iPhone on where they stand, although its widely reported that they were against Government funding of ITV Regional News pilots. Their stance is that they want to create a system of commercially viable local television stations, whilst also saying that they will Promote and protect a strong and independent BBC.
Considering that ITV plc's chairman is former Tory bigwig Archie Norman than frankly I can't see them happening at all.
I voted Conservative (no political rants please!) and agree that government money shouldn't be used to fund ITV Regional News, although I think its important to still have it, even if it gets cutback further, maybe even to 1 or 2 bulletins on a weekday.
Sorry Brekkie, but can you stop making these pointless political digs now. We all get that you don't have a high opinion of Dave and Nick - but you're really not adding to the conversation.
Unlike Cameron and Clegg though I stand by what I said during the election campaign.
Any idea what the Lib Dem view was on this? In principle it's actually one area where I (god forbid!) agree with the Tories - ITV regional news shouldn't be state funded and although they may say it's unprofitable, the point is as a PSB broadcaster they can make huge profits elsewhere, part of which can be diverted to fund the regional news.
I've long said I favour some sort of affiliate system, where in England at least ITV control the network but the rights to produce the local content (the news and some sort of quota of regional programming) is put out to tender. Whether that's financially viable though is another question - and in truth the answer is probably no.
Sorry Brekkie, but can you stop making these pointless political digs now. We all get that you don't have a high opinion of Dave and Nick - but you're really not adding to the conversation.
They brighten my day quite frankly.
Carry on Brekkie - its your constitutional right to make your point known.
We support the concept of IFNCs, because government intervention will be needed if independent local and regional news providers are to survive. The Tories seem content to abandon regional and local news, and are willing to risk the jobs of hundreds of journalists. We oppose their complacency.
However, we’re concerned over the lack of clarity from government about how IFNCs will be funded in the future. While the pilots will be funded from the surplus in the account of the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, the only long term funding option from the government is by “top slicing” the BBC Licence Fee; a move which (see above) threatens the independence of the BBC.
There should be more serious consideration of other funding options such as spectrum charging, or using the profits from BBC Worldwide. Revenue from adverts shown around the Channel 3 regional news broadcasts might also go to the IFNCs producing the programming.
Don Foster, Liberal Democrats' Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary , Feb 2, 2010 to ATV Network.
Sorry Brekkie, but can you stop making these pointless political digs now. We all get that you don't have a high opinion of Dave and Nick - but you're really not adding to the conversation.
They brighten my day quite frankly.
Carry on Brekkie - its your constitutional right to make your point known.
Of course he's entitled to make his opinions known, but a TV Presentation forum is hardly the best place to make his political comments.
