Loading... Please wait...

MPs Campaign to Stop TV News being Merged

MPS JOIN CAMPAIGN TO STOP TV NEWS BEING MERGED


09:30 - 08 December 2007


Calls for the Government to stop the merger of Central TV news programmes in the East Midlands, have been stepped up in Parliament.

Eighty-eight MPs are backing a parliamentary motion which "strongly opposes" the plans.

Derby North MP Bob Laxton, Amber Valley's Judy Mallaber and Dennis Skinner, MP for Bolsover, have signed the motion urging the Government to work with ITV to find a solution to generate sufficient income to maintain a regional news network.

The merger is part of a plan to cut the number of ITV regions from 17 to just nine. Central News, which is broadcast from Birmingham after ITV closed down its Nottingham studios, will become a region-wide service covering the whole of the Midlands, with only a short opt-out during the programme offering East Midlands stories.

Television regulator Ofcom is examining the proposals, which could see only a handful of staff left in Nottingham, to see if they comply with public service requirements.
Promoted by Chris Lennie, Acting General Secretary, the Labour Party, on behalf of the Labour Party, both at 39 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0HA.
Hosted by Tangent Labs, 32-42 East Road, London, N1 6AD, England, UK