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<P><B><FONT SIZE=5 FACE="Arial">NUJ fears end of ITV regional news</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"><BR>
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</FONT><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Jason Deans, broadcasting editor<BR>
Tuesday October 12, 2004</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> 08:00<BR>
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TV journalists are gearing up to fight Ofcom proposals that could allow ITV to drop all of its regional programming - including local news bulletins - within a decade.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The National Union of Journalists is concerned that under new proposals from the government TV watchdog ITV will need to commit to regional news programming only "if financially sustainable".</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">This statement has particularly alarmed NUJ officials, because it is the first time Ofcom has indicated it might not keep regional news as part of ITV's core public service broadcasting obligations.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">But the union is also opposing Ofcom's assertion that it would be "untenable" for ITV to continue making non-news regional programming - such as local features, lifestyle and documentary shows - after the phasing out of analogue TV begins in 2012.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">NUJ officials are due to meet Ofcom on Wednesday and will be seeking urgent clarification and assurances about the regulator's plans for ITV regional programming.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">"It's a bit of a bombshell. Ofcom seems to be suggesting not just that ITV's non-news output could go, but that regional news bulletins could go from any time after 2012," said Paul McLaughlin, the NUJ national organiser for broadcasting.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Senior ITV sources indicated that the broadcaster wanted to continue broadcasting regional news - and expressed surprise that Ofcom had suggested it might not be financially viable after analogue switch-off, when every home in the land will have at least 30 channels.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">"We would like to keep doing our regional news, but on Ofcom's numbers, unless the status quo changes, we're not sure we're going to be able to," one ITV source said.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">ITV is already understood to have raised with Ofcom the issue of whether money from the newly proposed rival to the BBC could be used to subsidise its regional news service.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The broadcaster is also investing £16.5m in new digital technology for its regional news operations in England and Wales this year and will be spending at least as much in 2005, according to the head of regional news, Michael Jermey.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">"We wouldn't be making that level of investment if ITV wasn't committed to regional news," Mr Jermey said.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">However, the NUJ is also concerned that if regional news is no longer a core public service broadcasting obligation for ITV, even if it maintains a service outside London after digital switchover, it may not be of the same quality.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">"At the moment ITV has 27 regional opt-outs [from news bulletins]. It's very comprehensive and we would want them to maintain that," Mr McLaughlin said.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Ofcom says the cost of non-news regional programming "will greatly exceed the value of any privileges available to ITV" and that research shows that non-news regional output is not valued by viewers.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The regulator proposes that ITV franchises in England should be allowed to cut their non-news output by 50%, from three hours to one and a half hours per week, from the beginning of 2005, and phase it out altogether by digital switchover in 2012.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Ofcom added that it expects the BBC to expand its programming from outside London to fill the gap left by ITV cutting back on its regional commitments.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">But the NUJ is worried that it will take years for the BBC to get the infrastructure and staff in place to beef up its regional programming output - and by then it may be too late.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">"If regional programming was the patient, would it be safe in Ofcom's hands? Their role is supposed to be to maintain and strengthen public service broadcasting. But with regional programming they seem to be intent on putting the patient in a coma and even allowing them to die, before trying to resuscitate them," Mr McLaughlin said.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">These proposals for the future of ITV's regional output are included in Meeting the Digital Challenge, phase two of Ofcom's review of public television broadcasting.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Ofcom is seeking industry views and comment on the proposals as part of consultation exercise that ends on November 24.</FONT>
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