ITV wants to axe some regional news services

the most detail we have seen yet:

http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/news/ITV-PULLS-PLUG-LOCAL-NEWS/article-364912-detail/article.html

interesting that ITV west only employs 67 NOW.

Also of not is the tory statement calling for more local TV.

I understand that Ofcom have missed the Westcoutry area off the list of locations that will have DTT spectrum auctioned off for local TV - despte the fact frequancies were identified at all major TX & Relay sites.

And from the Cumbria News & Star:

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.248425

From the Southampton Evening Echo:-

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/3716838.Jobs_shake_up_threatens_Meridian_s_household_names/

I'm sure it's buried on the web somewhere, but how many Meridian sub-opts will there be, and what areas ? Is Oxford being reallocated back to Central W ?

I believe 3 There is some on the ITV news website buts it has gone missing!

Edit: found it:

http://www.itv.com/News/newsspecial/Adhoc/Articles/ITVregions/default.html

Anglia - sub-regions Anglia East and Anglia West.

Tyne Tees - ITV hopes to merge Tyne Tees with Border to deliver a service that will include sub regions i) Cumbria; ii) South Scotland; iii) Current Tyne Tees Region.

The 6pm flagship news programme for Tyne Tees/Border would include a 15-minute opt-out for Border, and the same for Tyne Tees. The Border opt-out will include Cumbria, southern Scotland and the Isle of Man, and will continue to be called Lookaround in that region.

The lunchtime and weekend bulletins will be combined across the Tyne Tees/Border news region, with one late news focused on Border and one on Tyne Tees.

Border - ITV hopes to merge Border with Tyne Tees to deliver a service that will include sub regions i) Cumbria; ii) South Scotland; iii) Current Tyne Tees Region.

The 6pm flagship news programme for Tyne Tees/Border would include a 15-minute opt-out for Border, and the same for Tyne Tees. The Border opt-out will include Cumbria, southern Scotland and the Isle of Man, and will continue to be called Lookaround in that region.

The lunchtime and weekend bulletins will be combined across the Tyne Tees/Border news region, with one late news focused on Border and one on Tyne Tees.

Central - sub regions Central West and Central East proposed.

Granada - continues as now, i.e. not split into sub-regions.

London - continues as now; i.e. not split into sub-regions.

Meridian - ITV hopes to merge Meridian with Thames Valley to deliver a service that will include sub regions i) Meridian South East; ii) Meridian South; iii) Thames Valley.

The 6pm flagship news programme for Meridian would include a 15-minute opt-out for Meridian South combined with Thames Valley and a second 15 minute opt-out for Meridian South East. Viewers would see one or the other.

Thames Valley - ITV to be merged Thames Valley with Meridian to deliver a service that will include sub regions i) Meridian South East; ii) Meridian South; iii) Thames Valley.

The 6pm flagship news programme for Meridian would include a 15-minute opt-out for Meridian South combined with Thames Valley and a second 15 minute opt-out for Meridian South East. Viewers would see one or the other.

Wales - continues as now; i.e. not split into sub-regions.

West - ITV hopes to merge West with Westcountry to deliver a service that will include sub regions i) Cornwall and Plymouth; ii) Devon / West Dorset / West Somerset; iii) Current West Region.

The 6pm flagship news programme for West/Westcountry, possibly called ‘The West Country Tonight’, would include a 15-minute opt-out for ITV West and the same for ITV Westcountry.

Westcountry - ITV News hopes to merge Westcountry with West to deliver a service that will include sub regions i) Cornwall and Plymouth; ii) Devon / West Dorset / West Somerset; iii) Current West Region.
The 6pm flagship news programme for West/Westcountry, possibly called ‘The West Country Tonight’, would include a 15-minute opt-out for ITV West and the same for ITV Westcountry.

The lunchtime and weekend bulletins will be combined across the West/Westcountry news region, with one late news focused on ITV West and one on ITV Westcountry.

Yorkshire - i) West of ITV Yorkshire region; ii) East of ITV Yorkshire region.

Some stats on job losses here:
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/10/itv_regions_attack_the_enemy_within.html

* ITV Wales will lose 17.5 journalist posts from its 129-strong bureau

* ITV Yorkshire will be reduced from 101.8 posts to 66

The Border Reporters are now ending their package with their name then ....Lookaround ...they were saying their name then ....ITV Border News until recently ....I must admit coming from the Scottish side Border TV has provided us with a very poor service.However the staff at the station do not deserve to be treated like this they have worked hard to provide us with what they could it's a shame for them all.

On North Tonight they've been ending reports " for STV News " for a while now, presumably so the reports can either be used on NT or Scotland Today. Prior to this you could hear some bad overdubbing at the end of reports.

When Grampian first became " STV North " initially the link into North Tonight at 6 said " And now North Tonight ". Now they use one link into both STV North / Central progs with " And now you're news for Scotland " or something similar.

From MediaGuardian...

Michael Grade warns that ITV could drop all PSB output

Some interesting suggestions that they could get a third party to produce regional news. Also that ITV could buy its DTT spectrum at the going rate... although surely this would have to go to auction??

Yep - though ITV already own Mux A now don't they - as well as their public gifted Mux 1 space? (Mux A has long term contracts - but they will expire)

If ITV are to drop their PSB output then I think they should lose their PSB channel number 3 on analogue, and also on digital if possible. If ITV thought they might loose their privileged channel number/position which presumably assists in advertising revenue then they might think twice.

The only sensible thing to come out of OFCOMs review last week was that if ITV gave up their PSB status, they would lose the spectrum and it would be redistributed amongst the PSBs. But knowing OFCOM, if ITV asked to buy it OFCOM would say yes.

Regional News


Friday, October 10th 2008



ITV Chairman, Michael Grade, suggested in a speech to the Royal Television Society this week that one solution to secure the long-term future of ITV regional news would be the provision of public funding and to have ITN or another news provider operate the service.

ITN has had many discussions with both ITV and Ofcom about the future of regional news. It has been supportive of the current ITV plan to restructure the regional news operations and has always been ready to engage in discussions around different funding and management structures for the period after 2012.

ITN's position is that it is keen to support the continued provision of regional news in any way it can. It also has a number of ideas of how this may be achieved and will continue to pursue them with the relevant partners.

Our business is in good shape and our new businesses are currently generating double-digit growth. We will engage fully with our key customers, ITV and Channel 4, on the issue of regional coverage and are confident we can reach solutions which will meet the needs of our customers and the viewing public.



Mark Wood, ITN