Saving the News PSB on commercial channels

Hi ya all. Hope you are well.

With all the talk surrounding the future of Public Service Broadcasting in the UK, do you think with the Digital Switchover that ITV plc (England & Wales), Channel 4 and Channel 5 should combine their strengths to fund a new National/Regional News Channel? My thought is that each of the three stations could as part of their licence pay a fee (say £35m each - about what each station's spectrum is worth) toward the new channel. The News provider (likely ITN) could then continue to show programmes like Daybreak, News At Ten, Dispatches, Tonight and the Channel 4 News (a renamed version) on one channel as well as keeping an alternative to the BBC's Regional News service (along with Regional programmes such as Central Lobby). The three channels could then be allowed to drop their News programming as long as they have regular announcements regarding the News Channel...as well maybe a Red Button link.

The BBC could also drop their News programming (such as Breakfast, Newsnight and the BBC Ten O'Clock News) from their main channels, providing a Regional News service as well as programmes such as The Politics Show/Regional Football show on the BBC News Channel. Not sure how easy this would be technically but could it be become a possibility? After all it's not as BBC or ITV show much Regional Programming that isn't connected with News/Sport/Current Affairs.

Maybe a Children's programming channel could be funded the same way...

Thanks for reading.

Hi there. In a short word, no. It's simply far too big a project and the BBC would not be involved for a start The BBC have an enormous newsroom, several studios, and many presenters and background staff employed and the BBC would not sack them, and they are moving to brand new facilities very soon. ITN ditched their news channel because it simply wasn't financially viable, and there different programs at ITN (Channel 4 News and ITV News amongst them) are very different styles and cater for very different audiences. So many other reasons I could list but it's just not realistic, or a very good idea.

To put it briefly, no.

[/quote]
Hi there. In a short word, no. It's simply far too big a project and the BBC would not be involved for a start The BBC have an enormous newsroom, several studios, and many presenters and background staff employed and the BBC would not sack them, and they are moving to brand new facilities very soon. ITN ditched their news channel because it simply wasn't financially viable, and there different programs at ITN (Channel 4 News and ITV News amongst them) are very different styles and cater for very different audiences. So many other reasons I could list but it's just not realistic, or a very good idea.[/quote]


Well this hasn't gone down too well...lol. Nevermind...I tried. Just a couple of points though, I never stated the BBC would be involved with the Commercial channels 'project', they would be working by themselves on their own News Channel so most or all jobs would be protected (as now). It's true though that some jobs would be lost in the commercial sector project though, but jobs will be lost there in the future methinks anyway. Sadly.

P.S - I'm useless with quoting...sorry peeps. Double

As has been said, 24 hour news channels funded by commercial channels aren't financially viable - ITN's channel closed down and Sky News makes a loss every year. I think it's unlikely that any of the providers would be willing to spend their money on something that would struggle to compete with BBC News, and won't make any money. Especially in these times of austerity, I don't think spending the license fee on another 24 hour news channel would be a suitable use of funds.

I'm aware of the history of News Channels in this country and their struggles. My proposal is a bit different though, as it involves the ITV regions, Channel 4 and Channel 5 working together as part of their licence. They wouldn't have a choice in the matter (they either provide the service or no licence). It would replace all News Bulletins on these channels and isn't there to make money.

As for the BBC News Channel spending more licence fee money, I agree they shouldn't use more than what the current National/Regional News services cost. It's just the BBC News Channel would show Regional News instead of BBC1.

Btw peeps don't know if you've seen this...
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/tv/licensing-c3-c5/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Why would BBC1 want to loose the regional news. It rates very well. IIRC the 6.30pm news was either the second or third most watched programme in the UK on Wednesday

Likewise when ITV wanted to get out of regional news, and there was talk of them dropping their PSB licenses, I'm sure they were commentators saying they would likely stick with the national/international news. IMO there is an expectation by viewers that leading channels will provide news bulletins as part of a balanced schedule

The UK TV news environment is still dominated by the traditional news bulletin. Sky News haven't been able to change that, the BBC News Channel hasn't. I think a lot of your idea fixes something that is not broken. And it's not the right idea to sort out the long term funding for ITV Regional News

I think at present you are correct but we will start to see a move away from the traditional channels once Digital Switchover is complete, though I admit it will be a slow burner.

Another thought now, I'm wondering now if the amendment of the Contract Rights Renewal agreement for ITV plc could save the Regional News on the channel? Even if an amendment is used towards Regional News (and hopefully non-news Regional and Children's programming too), I think I'm right in saying the money saved could provide ITV plc with about £60m.

I'd love OFCOM to have the balls to put the ITV franchises out to tender come 2014 (and now Desmond has bought it, C5 too!). Considering the interest in the local Channel 6 plans, can they really justify not doing so?

And if they haven't got the balls to piss of ITV Plc, the compromise solution of letting ITV maintain the national network and putting the regional segments (so regional news and a commitment to X hours of regional programming a year) out to tender as "affiliates" would be a good one, with Scotland, Wales and NI offered as traditional regional franchises.

Would be very very interesting if that happenned. But I suppose ITVplc would have the 'nuclear' option of not applying and setting up a 'new ITV1', taking most of the programming with them, including all the ITV Studios shows, and leaving the new Channel 3 licences almost having to start from scratch

Always the option, but I think once the threat is there of removal from C3, loss of some DTT spectrum and a new competitor ITV would realises the costs of PSB broadcasting actually are worth paying.

Yes! That sounds an excellent idea. Sounds like Ofcom want to make ITV give the Welsh franchise up anyway. The only thing I do wonder about though is whether the regional affiliates would make enough money to survive. Something would have to happen to make sure they do.