Ten Alps' chief executive, Alex Connock told How-Do today:
"We are happy that the DCMS (Department for Culture Media & Sport) has chosen a region for the English tender which we think throws up some real opportunities to creatively reinvent for the 21st century the way local and regional news is covered in the UK, both from an editorial and a commercial standpoint. We had set out our stall clearly around the North East, and we do think that is the best place to conduct a pilot, for a whole number of reasons which we made clear in our announcement of last Friday.
"We are also proud to be working with Trinity Mirror and Press Association, and believe we can together put together a great bid. We fully expect a competitive process with some other exciting media companies."
In a statement, Ben Bradshaw added that the recent flooding in Cumbria had further proved the need for quality local news:
"The huge increase in viewers and readers seeking information about the terrible floods in Cumbria over the last week is a clear demonstration of that. Its importance to local democracy, coupled with the acute challenge being faced by commercial news companies, means there is a need for Government support."
Bradshaw
“As well as providing a good mix of urban and rural areas, holding a pilot that spans the Tyne Tees and Borders regions will improve the current provision of regional news in the Scottish Borders and English Borders by having a far more localised news service, which the audience wants. The Scottish borders could get a wholly Scottish regional news service and the English borders area could see a more local and regional news service.
The successful bidder will be announced in March next year.
The Department for Culture Media and Sports (DCMS) said that this region had been selected because: “changes in the regional news scheduling earlier this year have reduced the offer of broadcast local news whilst the distribution of local newspapers is relatively low compared to the rest of England. The broad geographical area will benefit from a more localised news service. The area also provides a good test case for an IFNC (Independently Funded News Consortia) covering both urban and rural neighbourhoods.”
The most comprehensive ever review and assessment of the top communicators and marketers working in public services in the North West: the Public Sector 100. READ
The North West’s top marketing folk who collectively control marketing expenditure in excess of £500m and whose endeavours help sustain tens of thousands of jobs. READ
The full listing of How-Do's Media 100. The 2009 list in its entirety, offers the definitive compilation of the most influential and powerful media, creative and digital folk based in the North West. READ
The How-Do poll
Latest comments
Raining on the parade: "Wow! Great news, so there is still a future for Channel M after all?"
O...
READ
Curious about the maths: If the reason Channel m closed is because it has no money - how is it going...
READ
Megan: Is it just me, or do most people really not give a hoot about Channel M?
...
READ
Hic hack: ...and if I did "piss on [my] chips for a job in journalism later on," for ...
READ
Captain Chaos: By Channel M launch on Freewire t website, on 21-03-2010 10:52
launch on c...
READ
Mike Hunt: I'm also with Mike Flex, Mike Stand, Mike Roffone and Watcher. GMG are slip...
READ
Comments (3)
