ITV chairman wants to reverse regional news withdrawal

ITV chairman Archie Norman is understood to be considering a U-turn on regional news.

Norman’s predecessor Sir Michael Grade decided to withdraw from providing local news in the English regions, Wales and Scotland, which made way for the government to tender for an independently funded news consortia to replace the ITV1 news services in each area.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has already set aside funding for the news pilots, and has accepted three bids for Wales, another three bids for England and two for Scotland.

However, new reports suggest that the current chairman is rethinking ITV’s regional news commitments.  A source said: “His sentiment is that it is important, not something to walk away from.”

The source claims ITV is concerned about holding on to the advertising airtime around regional news slots, the quality of the replacement services and the possibility of losing control of peak slots on its main channel.

ITV currently provides regional news programming for two of the three pilots, in Wales and the North-East and Border region, while STV provides news for Scotland.

If the bidding process that ITV is a part of is successful, ITV staff will transfer to the consortium in each area.  However, ITV is expected to make cuts to the service, which currently has a annual budget of £60 million a year.

The DCMS is expected to name the successful bidders next Thursday, despite opposition from the Conservative party.  The Tories have promised to block the proposals from getting through parliament as part of the digital economy bill.

The successful parties will share £40 million funding, which has been made available from the digital switchover surplus, and will be asked to sign a contract with ITV, which will remain responsible for compliance.