ITV criticized - Southern Scotland "unsatisfactory" news

I completely disagree with you. STV are good at what they do, and provide Scotland it's a much better service than ITV would probably do if they had managed to buy STV out when most of the other regions died. You say you 'dislike' STV, but why? There isn't much difference between ITV and STV, as they generally show the same programming, and don't really opt out that often, and when they do, it's usually something more relevant for viewers in Scotland. I'd hate to think how you'd of reacted 25 years ago, when every region had a different identity, and everything was all over the place.

I think giving STV the Border area would be a good thing, but unfortunately, I can't see it happening. I reckon some false promises will be made about ITV improving the service, which will either happen for a few weeks, or not happen at all. I doubt anything will really change.

What sort of financial transaction would take place there, who would pay who?

Maybe ITV could keep the region but sub-contract out the Border Scotland news service to STV.

But then STV would have two choices, combine the Border area into it's own existing news services, which would lead to complaints that the news is now dominated by Glasgow stories etc, or create a separate new service, which they wouldn't do for free. Hence they would then invoice ITV, no doubt for much more than ITV currently pay to produce Lookaround, so that wouldn't happen either.

As it is, most of the complaints in the original story has always applied with Border. Scottish viewers have always had to put up with their news being made in England and/or featuring stories from miles away in England. Stories from Newcastle are no different than stories from southern Cumbria to be fair.

Again the hate for STV is over 2 1/2 of opt outs that Mandatory from OFCOM. STV goes beyound that with Scotland tonight, which would be better for viewers in the south. STV NEWS is far better than any old crap ITV can come up with record or live.

From what I have seen of the ITV regions I am delighted I live in STV land. It was hard moving from Grampian to STV and the quality far from perfect yet much superior to the dog's breakfasts down south. This is merely my opinion but I have seen more than one broadcast from each region outside STV land every year or two since 2001.

I think the most likely outcome is 'some' STV programmes being shown in the Border region. So Scotland Tonight would be shown for example, but possibly not all the bulletins.

I am really not a fan of STV, although their news service is reasonable. It would be far better to just give us ITV Scotland, with the STV news service as stands. Of course that isn't going to happen any time soon.

ITV Wales didn't do too badly really. Even now it has more regional programming than any of the others within ITV Plc.

I see where your coming from, and I have no idea how to solve that issue. It possible both parts split the transmitters? thus Dumfries and galloway get Glasgow opt and Scottish Border get Edinburgh opt out?

Which isn't saying much. I just think it would improve perceptions if the channel felt like it was more ITV for Wales rather than ITV in Wales, especially now ITV1 has been dropped and they could really push ITV Wales as a brand (ITV1 Wales was always a bit clumsy!). I know some would question what adding the word "Wales" to the idents (in a more prominent fashion than their last effort) would do, but when you consider they're competing against BBC One Wales and BBC Two Wales who really do make the effort to feel more local than the network I do think making ITV Wales feel more of a channel in it's own right and less of a region would actually boost the channel, and in this case one advantage of them being part of ITV Plc is they can work with the network rather than against it.

I'd be interested to know if the viewers in Borders are that bothered. You'll note the story mentions the campaigner's SNP links a couple of times. Clearly the nats are looking for more coverage for their Yes campaigning. Those in the south of Scotland that want decent Scottish news will of course be watching Reporting Scotland (like the rest of the country) but the SNP's obsession with "BBC bias" will probably also be a factor.

As for STV, I'd be surprised if the signals would get past all the wind turbines Alex is letting his renewable energy mates build all over the South of Scotland anyway.

At home, we get Tyne Tees and Look North NE&C on Freeview - Newcastle is 100 miles away. To be honest, nobody in my family would care that the news is about a place so far away, because the main stuff is just as interesting if it's here or in Newcastle, and the same is true with the fluff. That's how my parents can end up watching and getting interested in Granada Reports if they've left it on ITV HD at 6 o'clock.

If we want truly local news, we have a local newspaper.

The current editorial region for Lookaround is now smaller than that. Since 2009, the Isle of Man switched to the Granada region leaving a core area on the mainland which is basically the majority of Cumbria (South Cumbria is Granada), a tiny bit of North Northumberland, Dumfries & Galloway, a tiny bit of SW Ayrshire and the Scottish Borders.

If STV do get the Scottish side, this leaves the remaining Border/Tyne Tees region with the same editorial area as Look North NE&C. This leaves ITV with two options, super serve Cumbria with a 15 min opt-out, considering Lookaround has the highest share of all of ITV's news regions or combine the bulletin with ITV Tyne Tees, which like Look North have more of a continued NE bias with Carlisle fighting for stories with Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.