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ITV 'can cut' regional programmes | ITV 'can cut' regional programmes |
(20 minutes 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. | 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. |
The main commercial operators - ITV, Channel 4 and Five - are governed by rules on the amount of news, children's, religious and arts programmes they must broadcast. | |
WHAT DEFINES PUBLIC-SERVICE BROADCASTING? High-quality national and regional newsChildren's programmingThe artsReligious affairs | |
In effect, they receive a public subsidy to provide the types of shows which are less profitable, and therefore not as attractive in commercial terms. | |
But the rules needed "a deep structural change", said the organisation's chief executive, Ed Richards. | |
"The system where easy profits for commercial public service broadcasters effectively subsidised certain kinds of programmes has now gone. | "The system where easy profits for commercial public service broadcasters effectively subsidised certain kinds of programmes has now gone. |
"What we are proposing is to focus on audiences' priorities - those areas that audiences most value," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "What we are proposing is to focus on audiences' priorities - those areas that audiences most value," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
Current affairs shows such as Anne Widdecombe's benefit from the subsidyBut there has not been universal approval of the idea that ITV would show less regional news. | |
The broadcaster plans to cut its newsrooms around the UK from 17 to nine. | 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 and Cumbria. | 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 and Cumbria. |
There were concerns that the quality of news for the south of Scotland would fall if it lost its customised bulletins. | There were concerns that the quality of news for the south of Scotland would fall if it lost its customised bulletins. |
Speaking in general terms, Mr Richards said peak-time news bulletins must remain on ITV as they were "the kind of news that is most watched and most valued by audiences". | Speaking in general terms, Mr Richards said peak-time news bulletins must remain on ITV as they were "the kind of news that is most watched and most valued by audiences". |
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME | |
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. |
This is a matter for the government to decide, but Mr Richards said Ofcom opposed "top-slicing" the licence fee, where some of the revenue generated for the BBC was redistributed to Channel 4. | This is a matter for the government to decide, but Mr Richards said Ofcom opposed "top-slicing" the licence fee, where some of the revenue generated for the BBC was redistributed to Channel 4. |
"The budgets for the BBC's services and programmes must be protected," he said. | "The budgets for the BBC's services and programmes must be protected," he said. |
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
Ofcom is trying to establish a way in which the commercial TV industry can reshape itself to address all of the issues at hand. | |
It will continue to consult broadcasters and assess options until December, before releasing its final recommendations early next year. | It will continue to consult broadcasters and assess options until December, before releasing its final recommendations early next year. |
ITV said it welcomed Ofcom's proposals to shake up the rules covering its schedules. | 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. | "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. |