ITV to focus on "regional presence"

According to Digital Spy :


Rest of story: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a43615/itv-to-focus-on-regional-presence.html

What does this imply for the broadcaster, and is it good or bad in terms of ITV's cashflow?

ITV have spent years desperately "selling the family silver" of regional assets to keep afloat after the ONdigital/ITV Digital fiasco. It's too late to go back now!

However much I respect Mr Grade's business acumen, I suspect that these are more words than deeds. There are many ways they can make their regional presence more visable, but it would be cosmetic rather than a true commitment to the real spirit of pre-consolidated ITV in England & Wales.

maybe He mean MORE local Programmes, Better Local News and a New regional type of Name for bigger areas?

Yes, the old infrastructure has gone, but that was probably inevitable. There's no point banging on about regional idents. brands and the like.

But it must surely be good news that the powers that be are beginning to see regionality as an opportunity rather than a burden to be offloaded ASAP.

Good point, I could see that perhaps working (after all many current regions share their so-called regional non-news programmes).

I'm sure that after DSO Ofcom would allow ITV to change the regions (to become simply NW, NE, Midlands, East, Wales, London, SE, SW and South) and then provide some sort of non-news programming on that basis. The current regions would then become sub-regional opts for news.

there could keep Yorkshire as that could cover North//south..east.. west Yorkshire area...

I don;t like that N, NW idea

The old approach is gone - simple!

Regional TV now is pretty much a top down approach, with the ITV network, not local producers and programme makers, deciding what regional output should be.


The broadband channels are the route both the BBC and ITV seem to want to take with regional content - not the flagship networks.

i think they need to spilt up the regional news a bit more, like sub-opts, as Westcountry used to do. So for example London Tonight, with 4 sub opts last 10mins , one to cover west london. One covering central London, One covering the home counties, and one for the rest of the region

That can't be done with only 1 main transmitter?

.... Like Westcountry still do - except on Sky!

The only relevant infrastructure that has gone is a continuity suite and playout area in each region. There is no reason why each region couldn't get a locally branded ident with each junction.

and keep the nation speaker