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, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport, has told a cross-party group of MPs that he was in a "very early discussion" with the BBC about the plans, which are designed to preserve the plurality of local news and ease the funding concerns of ITV and Channel 4.

Giving evidence to the Commons select committee hearing on media ownership and the news, Burnham said he was keeping an "open mind" about how to fund public service broadcasting in the digital age.

On the subject of "top-slicing", which could see commercial broadcasters receive a share of the licence fee, he said: "I don't leap to it as the only way through which we might preserve what is valuable going into the future."

Channel 4 has warned of a funding shortfall, while ITV is considering scaling back its regional news operations.

Burnham said there was "a range of potential solutions" to the concerns, but added that "some of them may not be popular".

He said: "Rather than the BBC handing over a part of its current income, could it make that infrastructure available for others to use to make a programme?

"These are not issues I've discussed in detail with Ofcom. I don't leap to the top-slicing issue as the only show in town. I think there are other creative ways where we might preserve [local news]."

Last month, Channel 4 unveiled its new strategy blueprint, Next on 4, in which it outlines its vision for the future of public service content.

The document is key to Channel 4's hopes of securing a new source of public funding. The broadcaster claims it is facing a £100m-£150m funding shortfall after digital switchover in 2012.

Ofcom is expected to report back shortly with its findings, following a review of public service broadcasting.

Meanwhile, The Conservative Party published a paper earlier this week arguing the case for releasing public service funds to broadcasters other than the BBC.

The idea has been strongly opposed by Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC Trust, who has argued that the move could undermine the BBC's public service remit.