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Monday, 04 August 2008 |
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A compromise deal from ITV to shorten, rather than axe Border’s flagship Lookaround programme has been condemned by broadcasting unions.
ITV plans to save £40m a year by reducing the number of news regions from 17 to 9. One of the regions affected was Border which would be merged with Tyne Tees.
However, a leaked Ofcom document seemed to suggest the industry regulator was going to reject this proposal and ITV is believed to have looked at a compromise, reducing the 30 minute programme to 15 minutes.
But unions are rejecting this as well, believing there are other ways to cut costs.
In an open letter to ITV News chief, Michael Jermey, ITV Border’s Bectu representative said:
"ITV Border is a lean operation that achieves more with less and that has always been something of our trade mark. Our journalists, engineers and technicians are ready to embrace change and suggest solutions rather than slogans. We want this challenge and accept that this may mean a re-evaluation of the operation."
Ofcom received around 14,000 postcards from Lookaround viewers demanding that the show is saved .
The regulator will publish a second public service broadcasting review in September when it will reveal whether it has accepted ITV’s proposals. Something to add? Then leave a comment below or email us now.
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