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ITC Moves To Protect News

ITC Moves To Protect News

The ITC has called for the power to set a minimum budget for ITV’s news coverage following concerns that cuts in the value of ITN’s contract could threaten the long-term viability of its news provision.

Speaking at the Royal Television Society’s annual Flemming lecture, chief executive of the ITV, Patricia Hodgson, expressed her concern that the BBC and Sky should not be allowed to dominate the provision of news.

She said: “Not even the BBC’s outstanding news machine can be relied upon to reflect every sensitivity or to get the balance right every time. Sky offers an excellent alternative, drawing on the global resource of News International. But, in a complex world, are two news agendas really enough?”

Concerns about the level of investment in ITN were raised last year when it was forced to cut around £10 from its £45m contract to supply ITV’s news bulletin, to stave off competition from a rival consortium, which included Sky News (see ITC Decision Creates Competition For ITV News Provision For The First Time). ITN managed to secure its contract for the next six years (see ITN Signs New Contract With ITV) but substantial cuts were made and 100 jobs were lost in the process (see ITN Confirms Raft Of Job Cuts).

Hodgson called on the Government to allow the new communications regulator Ofcom to set a minimum level of investment for the ITV news contract, when a draft broadcasting bill is published this spring. She said: “The new Bill must make provision for an independent third force. It should require proper investment in news; to underpin obligations to compete in the field of high quality national and international news.”

In January the ITC and BSC began a major new study into TV news and current affairs intended to establish a “framework” for broadcasters and influence the upcoming communications bill (see

ITC: 020 7255 3000 www.itc.org.uk

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