|
Consortium’s bid for Border TV rebuffed but not gone away |
| Print |
|
Email to a friend
|
|
Monday, 04 February 2008 |
The unnamed consortium which submitted an unsolicited £12m bid before Christmas for Border TV has not given up on its objective of trying to ITV’s smallest commercial station.
 Stobart and Tinkler The team, which is believed to have backing from Eddie Stobart/Andrew Tinkler interests, and other Cumbrian business folk, was prompted into action by ITV’s announcement last autumn that it was planning to merge the Carlisle news room with ITV’s Tyne Tees operation which is based in Gateshead.
ITV paid over £50m for Border TV back in 2000. It is understood that the consortium’s bid for Border was predicated on approximately £1 for every £1 of the station’s revenue. This would have amounted to an extremely low valuation in the market.
It is understood that ITV bosses didn’t apparently take the bid seriously but Cumbrian sources say that the consortium is serious and plans to come back with alternative proposals. They also believe they will be able to call on local political interests to aid their overall campaign to keep broadcasting influence in Cumbria.
Carlisle MP Eric Martlew, has thrown his weight behind the growing campaign to persuade ITV to reconsider its plans.
The station’s daily ‘Lookaround’ regional news programme, claims the highest penetration of any regional news programme in the network.
Something to add? Then leave a comment below or email us now.
Sponsored links:
|
