DCMS announces winners of regional news pilot contracts
Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has announced the winners of the contracts for the three regional news pilots in Scotland, Wales and the Tyne Tees/Border region.
The independently funded news consortia (IFNC) pilots will receive Government funding totalling £47 million over two years.
Providing local news content across the web, mobile, and other new platforms, the groups will also fill the slot currently occupied by ITV and STV regional news.
The winning bidders are:
Scotland
- Scottish News Consortium (SNC) (major newspaper groups Johnston Press, Herald and Times Group, and D C Thomson along with independent TV production company Tinopolis)
Wales
- Wales Live (UTV, the current Channel 3 licence holder in Northern Ireland together with NWN Media Ltd – a regional newspaper print and publishing company)
Tyne Tees/Border
- News 3 (Trinity Mirror, Press Association and independent TV production company, Ten Alps)
The DCMS has also announced reserve bidders for the three pilots:
Scotland
- Scottish News Network (STV, ITN, and Bauer Radio)
Wales
- Tinopolis
Tyne Tees/ Border
- Great North News (led by ITN, with Johnston Press, Newsquest, Bauer Media, and University of Sunderland)
Key features of the bids include: an “innovative cross-platform approach to news provision” in Scotland, with the planned website acting as a portal to 130 local newspaper websites; a “harder-edged TV news programme” across Wales “reflecting the needs of a devolved nation in conjunction with local and community media”; and for the Tyne Tees/Border region, a new multi-platform studio based at the Newcastle Chronicle offices, offering both news and news features.
Under legal requirements, there will be a ten day ‘standstill’ period following today’s announcement. Discussions on contracts will continue after this.
Richard Hooper, chair of the independent selection panel, said: “In Wales and Scotland, in addition to strong proposals for regional, local and hyperlocal/community news, the bidders put forward credible ideas for quality news for those nations which is urgently needed as a result of devolution.”
Bradshaw said: “This is an important step towards our goal of ensuring choice for people who value high quality, independent local news. I’d like to congratulate all the bidders involved and all the members of the independent panel who under the chairmanship of Richard Hooper have worked tirelessly to complete a thorough and rigorous process to ensure the preferred bidders are the right choice for Scotland, Wales and the Tyne Tees/Border region.
“The funding available to these consortia represents a massive commitment from this government to help encourage the long term sustainability of news in the nations, locally and in the regions. I hope this focussed work will now continue with everyone working together to ensure these pilots are up and running by the end of the year.”