STV Main Thread:

ITV have repeatedly said they won't air Scotland Tonight because it rates lower than the content on Border.

Scotland-wide political/NHS reports on Scotland Tonight are relevant and of interest to those in southern Scotland, but the average viewer in D&G would not consider a central belt story of any more interest than a west Cumbrian story. Those in Dumfriesshire are much more likely to relate to Carlisle news reports than Glasgow/Edinburgh ones as many travel over the border for work, shopping etc.

Right ok

I dont know how ITV can say that when its not been broadcast south of the border... unless there count those REF debates.??

There is some truth in that, but much of Dumfries and Galloway is as remote from Cumbria as it is from Glasgow. Much of the Scottish Borders, on the other hand, is closely linked to Edinburgh. Peebles, just over 20 miles from Edinburgh, receives ITV Border. What happens in Edinburgh and Midlothian is much more relevant to folk in Peebles than what's going on in Carlisle, Whitehaven and Keswick.

I have always believe if STV got hold of the border there will clamp the Border area into STV edinburgh news while STV Glasgow may will end up with opt out like Aberdeen with an opt out for the D&G and Ayrshire which is possible.

Do you reckon? Seems a bit complicated though.

Yes, I accept the Borders (Berwickshire, Roxburghshire etc) are quite closely linked to Edinburgh and the Lothians. And much of Northern Dumfriesshire and North Ayrshire already receive STV and aren’t too remote from the Glasgow conurbation. I suppose what I’m saying is the whole of the Border Scotland region wouldn’t necessarily be served well by a “one size fits all” news service from STV other than from a political angle - and if we are talking of only opt-outs from the main Glasgow/Edinburgh bulletins, perhaps they would receive a service of lower quality than they currently get from Border.

I think you're underestimating the importance of what goes on across the border to people living close to the border on either side. Folks in North Northumberland that I know for example are generally more interested in Scottish politics than you might think, precisely because it affects them, far more so than what's happening in Middlesbrough does in fact.

I'm sure the converse is also true of folks in Dumfries.

it's the 1997 Xmas ident!

I always believe there was NO xmas ident that year, was there one for 1996? 1998 deffo never had one did it?

Great find. I have always said there was an ident in 1997. It was only on screen for a couple of days. It's a shame this doesn't show the full ident but I remember the tune was exactly the same as the first few notes of the BBC1 Christmas promo in 1992.

There was no Christmas ident on STV in 1996 or 1998.