ITC Concludes Public Consultation On Scottish Digital Programme Service

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) has concluded that Scottish 2 Television’s proposal to provide a digital terrestrial programme service for the Scottish and Grampian regions would not be against the public interest. The ITC invited public views at the beginning of the year on the proposed launch from Scottish 2 Television, which is a subsidiary of the Scottish Media Group (see Newsline).

The Scottish Media Group already owns 2 local newspapers circulating in that area – The Herald and The Evening Times. The ITC is obliged, under the Broadcasting Act 1990, to consider whether it could be against the public interest for a digital terrestrial programme service to be provided by the proprietor of a local newspaper circulating in the same area.

The response received through the public consultation didn’t raise any further issues which went beyond the watchdog’s own analysis, and the ITC concluded that there was no significant cause for concern in respect of plurality of ownership or diversity in the sources of information available to the public.

ITC: 0171 255 3000