JJ
jjne
Col, you have to bear in mind how bloody lucky you have been in Northern Ireland.
The perceived deterioration of UTV absolutely pales into insignificance compared with the way the ITV PLC regions have been run down.
If the local news in NI is put out to tender, this should IN NO WAY lead to a general removal of UTV in NI, UNLESS this is reflected in a general franchise round in the rest of the country.
It would be an absolute travesty if ITV were allowed to divest its regional news output, and keep its licences, while the whole of UTV was skewered because it committed the crime of remaining independent -- which I can see coming.
If your region had been systematically destroyed by an unholy alliance of Granada throwing a grenade into the room followed by YTV asset-stripping the region until only the burnt carpets remained, followed by years of neglect and finally closure by the suits in London, then you might have cause for complaint.
As it is, you've had a very good broadcaster for at least 15 years, followed by a deterioration that was led, let's be honest about this, by those same suits that ruined the English regions. If the worst you can find in your region is a change in personnel and a few noses put out of joint, you ain't done badly.
I personally would love to have a seriously complacent and lazy Tyne Tees back in place of what we have now. I fully understand your concerns, and acknowledge the tabloidisation of local news as the same has happened here. But that's the point really -- what you're seeing is a reflection of the general downturn in quality amongst ALL news broadcasts, the BBC included.
UTV cannot possibly be worse for this region than what we have now.
The perceived deterioration of UTV absolutely pales into insignificance compared with the way the ITV PLC regions have been run down.
If the local news in NI is put out to tender, this should IN NO WAY lead to a general removal of UTV in NI, UNLESS this is reflected in a general franchise round in the rest of the country.
It would be an absolute travesty if ITV were allowed to divest its regional news output, and keep its licences, while the whole of UTV was skewered because it committed the crime of remaining independent -- which I can see coming.
If your region had been systematically destroyed by an unholy alliance of Granada throwing a grenade into the room followed by YTV asset-stripping the region until only the burnt carpets remained, followed by years of neglect and finally closure by the suits in London, then you might have cause for complaint.
As it is, you've had a very good broadcaster for at least 15 years, followed by a deterioration that was led, let's be honest about this, by those same suits that ruined the English regions. If the worst you can find in your region is a change in personnel and a few noses put out of joint, you ain't done badly.
I personally would love to have a seriously complacent and lazy Tyne Tees back in place of what we have now. I fully understand your concerns, and acknowledge the tabloidisation of local news as the same has happened here. But that's the point really -- what you're seeing is a reflection of the general downturn in quality amongst ALL news broadcasts, the BBC included.
UTV cannot possibly be worse for this region than what we have now.
Last edited by jjne on 3 February 2010 12:27am
