BR
Was going to add a poll but doesn't look like we can do them now, but essentially in their latest consultation (i.e. trying to rubber stamp what ITV suggested) it looks like OFCOM are pushing the idea of more regions, but with less news. Wales would become a separate franchise, while the number of English regions increases to 14 - but with cuts in obligations such as just three minutes of news at lunchtime and five minutes at the weekend.
So do we think less news is an acceptable trade off for more regions (i.e. rewinding the clock 4-5 years), or is keeping things as they are now with fewer regions but longer bulletins the best way forward for local news?
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a460609/itv-network-to-boost-regional-news-create-wales-licence.html
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/c3-c5-obligations/annexes/itvs-proposals.pdf
The Border issue is covered in depth in the other thread but with a new Wales franchise finally being created I don't see why OFCOM are afraid to put it on the market, especially considering the local TV franchise rounds have attracted quite a bit of interest. I don't see how it harms viewers at all seeing what other companies might have to offer should they become the ITV broadcaster in Wales, and it would also force ITV to up their game and commit to more than the basics in order to hold on to the licence. It is effectively a new licence after all, and IMO whenever ITV ask for change to their licence conditions which benefit them more than the viewers OFCOM should be looking at what other companies would do if they held the licence.
And I still don't understand how all these thousands of people complain to OFCOM all the time - I'm struggling to find the relevent consultation at all on the OFCOM website.
So do we think less news is an acceptable trade off for more regions (i.e. rewinding the clock 4-5 years), or is keeping things as they are now with fewer regions but longer bulletins the best way forward for local news?
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a460609/itv-network-to-boost-regional-news-create-wales-licence.html
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/c3-c5-obligations/annexes/itvs-proposals.pdf
The Border issue is covered in depth in the other thread but with a new Wales franchise finally being created I don't see why OFCOM are afraid to put it on the market, especially considering the local TV franchise rounds have attracted quite a bit of interest. I don't see how it harms viewers at all seeing what other companies might have to offer should they become the ITV broadcaster in Wales, and it would also force ITV to up their game and commit to more than the basics in order to hold on to the licence. It is effectively a new licence after all, and IMO whenever ITV ask for change to their licence conditions which benefit them more than the viewers OFCOM should be looking at what other companies would do if they held the licence.
And I still don't understand how all these thousands of people complain to OFCOM all the time - I'm struggling to find the relevent consultation at all on the OFCOM website.