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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| ITV Wales set to cut programming | ITV Wales set to cut programming |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| ITV is to be allowed to slash its Welsh programming by more than half because of the slump in income from advertising. | ITV is to be allowed to slash its Welsh programming by more than half because of the slump in income from advertising. |
| A report by the broadcasting regulator Ofcom warns these changes could have a serious impact on the independent television sector in Wales. | A report by the broadcasting regulator Ofcom warns these changes could have a serious impact on the independent television sector in Wales. |
| It also sets out the latest funding ideas for public service broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4 and S4C. | It also sets out the latest funding ideas for public service broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4 and S4C. |
| The Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones expressed "huge concern" at the report. | The Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones expressed "huge concern" at the report. |
| The Ofcom document is the second phase of its investigation into the future of public service broadcasting. | The Ofcom document is the second phase of its investigation into the future of public service broadcasting. |
| Although the main ITV Wales news programme will be protected, a 20% cut in news output from 5 hours 20 minutes per week to 4 hours will see mid-morning and weekend bulletins axed. | Although the main ITV Wales news programme will be protected, a 20% cut in news output from 5 hours 20 minutes per week to 4 hours will see mid-morning and weekend bulletins axed. |
| Cutting the services offered by ITV Wales will deprive Welsh citizens from receiving a diverse range of programmes which reflect their everyday lives Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones | Cutting the services offered by ITV Wales will deprive Welsh citizens from receiving a diverse range of programmes which reflect their everyday lives Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones |
| The scale and speed of cuts in non-news output will see the channel's Welsh programming shrink from the current four hours a week, to just an hour-and-a-half after January. | The scale and speed of cuts in non-news output will see the channel's Welsh programming shrink from the current four hours a week, to just an hour-and-a-half after January. |
| It is thought this could lead to compulsory redundancies. | It is thought this could lead to compulsory redundancies. |
| This is despite an emphasis in the Ofcom report on the importance of news in the devolved nations and English regions - although it warns this is likely to require new and extra funding. | This is despite an emphasis in the Ofcom report on the importance of news in the devolved nations and English regions - although it warns this is likely to require new and extra funding. |
| Ofcom's Wales director Rhodri Williams said the proposals provided a "sustainable settlement" despite "the extensive economic pressures faced by ITV". | Ofcom's Wales director Rhodri Williams said the proposals provided a "sustainable settlement" despite "the extensive economic pressures faced by ITV". |
| He said: "It is strongly in the interest of viewers in Wales to retain public service programming from ITV at a realistic level rather than risk losing such delivery altogether." | He said: "It is strongly in the interest of viewers in Wales to retain public service programming from ITV at a realistic level rather than risk losing such delivery altogether." |
| Wales' heritage minister has said he plans to seek an urgent meeting with UK government ministers at Westminster to discuss the assembly government's concerns. | Wales' heritage minister has said he plans to seek an urgent meeting with UK government ministers at Westminster to discuss the assembly government's concerns. |
| He said the proposal to cut the hours of public service broadcasting on ITV Wales was a dramatic loss and a blow for Welsh audiences. | He said the proposal to cut the hours of public service broadcasting on ITV Wales was a dramatic loss and a blow for Welsh audiences. |
| Mr Jones said: "It is a matter of huge concern to me that cutting the services offered by ITV Wales will deprive Welsh citizens from receiving a diverse range of programmes which reflect their everyday lives. | Mr Jones said: "It is a matter of huge concern to me that cutting the services offered by ITV Wales will deprive Welsh citizens from receiving a diverse range of programmes which reflect their everyday lives. |
| Channel 3 | Channel 3 |
| "Welsh audiences, loyal to ITV Wales, could also be deprived from gaining access to information about the democratic institutions which serve them - this, in turn, could affect their level of participation in those political processes." | "Welsh audiences, loyal to ITV Wales, could also be deprived from gaining access to information about the democratic institutions which serve them - this, in turn, could affect their level of participation in those political processes." |
| In the long term, Ofcom said it saw a key role for S4C as a provider of Welsh Language programmes. | In the long term, Ofcom said it saw a key role for S4C as a provider of Welsh Language programmes. |
| It said the "evolution" of public service broadcasting could also include a Wales-only Channel 3 licence, instead of Wales and west of England as currently, although this would need a public subsidy. | It said the "evolution" of public service broadcasting could also include a Wales-only Channel 3 licence, instead of Wales and west of England as currently, although this would need a public subsidy. |
| In a statement, ITV plc said: "We have consistently argued that the regulatory costs and commercial benefits of holding the ITV plc licences need to be re-balanced between now and analogue switch off in 2012. | In a statement, ITV plc said: "We have consistently argued that the regulatory costs and commercial benefits of holding the ITV plc licences need to be re-balanced between now and analogue switch off in 2012. |
| "We welcome Ofcom's acknowledgement of the need to strike the right balance between these costs and benefits, which is reflected in its proposals for ITV plc's regional news services, regional non-news programmes and the Out of London quota." | "We welcome Ofcom's acknowledgement of the need to strike the right balance between these costs and benefits, which is reflected in its proposals for ITV plc's regional news services, regional non-news programmes and the Out of London quota." |