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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| ITV 'can cut' regional programmes | ITV 'can cut' regional programmes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| ITV would provide fewer regional programmes, including news bulletins, under proposals from regulator Ofcom. | ITV would provide fewer regional programmes, including news bulletins, under proposals from regulator Ofcom. |
| The broadcaster has been advised to concentrate on providing original output which has been made in the UK. | The broadcaster has been advised to concentrate on providing original output which has been made in the UK. |
| It would be allowed to show fewer daytime news bulletins, but only after it "restructured" its news operations in England and the Scottish Borders. | |
| Ofcom has been looking at the future of public-service broadcasting at a time when advertising income is falling. | Ofcom has been looking at the future of public-service broadcasting at a time when advertising income is falling. |
| But there has not been universal approval of the idea that ITV would show less regional news. | |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME |
| The broadcaster plans to cut its newsrooms around the UK from 17 to nine. | |
| Politicians have made submissions to Ofcom over the proposed merger of the Border and Tyne Tees newsrooms, covering the south-east and south-west of Scotland, plus the north-east of England. | |
| There were concerns that the quality of news for the south of Scotland would fall if it lost its customised bulletins. | |
| 'Unattractive' investments | |
| The drop in advertising revenue is considered to have put pressure on the main commercial broadcasters - ITV, Channel 4 and Five - to meet their commitments to public-service programming. | |
| Until now they have effectively been given a public subsidy to provide the types of programmes which are less profitable and not as attractive in commercial terms. | |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme Children's programmes, current affairs documentaries, single dramas, British-made sitcoms and regional news are all considered to fall into this category. | |
| But now Ofcom has forecast that between £145 and £235 million of extra public funding will be needed by 2012 to maintain present levels of programming. | |
| The regulator also believes Channel 4 will need funding from other sources to meet its public-service commitments. | The regulator also believes Channel 4 will need funding from other sources to meet its public-service commitments. |
| It is trying to establish a way in which the commercial TV industry can reshape itself to address these issues. | |
| Ofcom will spend the coming months assessing the options, before releasing its final recommendations early next year. | |
| ITV said it welcomed Ofcom's proposals to shake up the rules covering its schedules. | |
| "We have consistently argued that the regulatory costs and commercial benefits of holding the ITV plc licences need to be rebalanced between now and analogue switch-off in 2012," it said in a statement. |