MS
By Media Editor Matt Born
Personally, if this is true, Im disgusted at this. Why should we have to pay to prop up ITV when it is making huge profits right now? The only people to blame for ITVs current situation is themselves. Since 2001, they have starved ITN of cash, leading to the total dumbing down of their entire news operation. If things really are that desperate, ITV can immediatly close down the ITV NC as that is never going to make a profit. Secondly, they can use some of their record profits to increase funding to ITN before the next contract renewal instead of lining the shareholders pockets. ITV is a commercial business - if they want to run a 'cheap and cheerful' news operation, fine, go ahead and do it, as I doubt anyone would notice judging by the current state of the operation! Dont dare ask us for money when the only problems are the ones you have made yourselves since News at Ten was axed!
Quote:
ITV1 is threatening to ditch its main news bulletins unless it gets public money to finance them. The broadcaster is lobbying the government for subsidies of tens of millions of pounds a year. Bosses argue that the stations obligations to show costly - and little watched- public service television are an excessive burden at a time of increasing competition from satellite and cable television. But the revelation was greeted by dismay by some industry observers, coming only days after ITV won a massive cut in the amount is has to pay for its licenses.
Despite ITVs announcement that profits were up 50 per cent to £340million last year, media regulator OfCom agreed to slash the fee from £215 to £80million.
At the same time, ITV has perseuaded OfCom to reduce the amount of religious and arts programming it has to show. It is understood Chief Exec Charles Allen has now turned his attention to lobbying for more funding for the news. ITV1 spends £35million a year on its news programmes, which are made by ITN. They include the flagship News at 10.30pm presented by Trevor McDonald and the Evening News, featuring Katie Derham, Andrea Catherwood and Mary Nightingale. Mr Allens arguements are believed to have been given a receptive hearing by OfCom and talks have begun about how much subsidy ITV may need. A source said 'ITV knows that programmes such as News at 10.30pm are important for its image as a heavyweight channel. But it claims that comes at a price - and it wants some sort of handout if it is to go on showing high quality news. The alternative is it simply runs a cheap and cheerful news update but without any of the original award winning journalism for which it is famed'.
But industry insiders are said are astonished by the lobbying. 'ITV is pleading poverty at a time when profits are soaring, and OfCom is swallowing every word,' one said. 'The fact that it is now trying to get a handout for its news is ludicrous.' ITN was formed in 1955. In the 1990s its flagship programme News At Ten, was controversially axed and the news shown at 11pm. The move was designed to allow films to be shown without any breaks.
Despite ITVs announcement that profits were up 50 per cent to £340million last year, media regulator OfCom agreed to slash the fee from £215 to £80million.
At the same time, ITV has perseuaded OfCom to reduce the amount of religious and arts programming it has to show. It is understood Chief Exec Charles Allen has now turned his attention to lobbying for more funding for the news. ITV1 spends £35million a year on its news programmes, which are made by ITN. They include the flagship News at 10.30pm presented by Trevor McDonald and the Evening News, featuring Katie Derham, Andrea Catherwood and Mary Nightingale. Mr Allens arguements are believed to have been given a receptive hearing by OfCom and talks have begun about how much subsidy ITV may need. A source said 'ITV knows that programmes such as News at 10.30pm are important for its image as a heavyweight channel. But it claims that comes at a price - and it wants some sort of handout if it is to go on showing high quality news. The alternative is it simply runs a cheap and cheerful news update but without any of the original award winning journalism for which it is famed'.
But industry insiders are said are astonished by the lobbying. 'ITV is pleading poverty at a time when profits are soaring, and OfCom is swallowing every word,' one said. 'The fact that it is now trying to get a handout for its news is ludicrous.' ITN was formed in 1955. In the 1990s its flagship programme News At Ten, was controversially axed and the news shown at 11pm. The move was designed to allow films to be shown without any breaks.
Personally, if this is true, Im disgusted at this. Why should we have to pay to prop up ITV when it is making huge profits right now? The only people to blame for ITVs current situation is themselves. Since 2001, they have starved ITN of cash, leading to the total dumbing down of their entire news operation. If things really are that desperate, ITV can immediatly close down the ITV NC as that is never going to make a profit. Secondly, they can use some of their record profits to increase funding to ITN before the next contract renewal instead of lining the shareholders pockets. ITV is a commercial business - if they want to run a 'cheap and cheerful' news operation, fine, go ahead and do it, as I doubt anyone would notice judging by the current state of the operation! Dont dare ask us for money when the only problems are the ones you have made yourselves since News at Ten was axed!
