BBC Could Reconsider Plans For Local TV News Stations

The BBC could reconsider its plans to develop a network of local television news stations due to its licence fee settlement being less than it had anticipated.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Mark Thompson, director general of the BBC, said: “This is a good example of effectively a new commitment which I think inevitably there is a big question against, given the settlement we have got.”

The Corporation had suggested that up to 60 local TV stations, combining local radio and websites, could be put in place, although newspaper publishers and the Newspaper Society have warned Parliament that this could threaten local papers.

When the BBC had its charter renewed, no bar was put on the development of local news stations meaning that if the plans went ahead, the BBC Trust could give its approval if it believed the plans were in the best interest of the licence fee payer.

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