ITV revises plans to cut regional news services

LONDON - ITV has revised plans to drastically cut its regional news services after objections from MPs and media unions to the plan, which was first unveiled in September.

Although it will carry on with the 'Turnaround Plan' to reduce the number of regional newsrooms from 17 to nine, it will introduce 18 sub-regional services. The sub-regions will have six minutes of news from their area during 6pm news bulletins, and a bulletin after 'News at Ten'.

If the changes are given the go-ahead by Ofcom, the nine news regions would be Anglia, Central, Granada, London, North of England/South of Scotland, Meridian, South West, Wales and Yorkshire. Grouped under these would be the 18 sub-regional services.

Michael Jermey, director of ITV Regions, said: "These revised proposals are the product of a thorough consultation process with all our stakeholders and will increase the number of local services and deliver greater public value whilst still delivering the same cost savings.

"We believe we have a solution that offers viewers more of what they have told us they want, and preserves the best of ITV's tradition of quality, well-resourced production and journalism."

The cuts are part of executive chairman Michael Grade's plans to reduce costs at ITV, and are meant to save the broadcaster £40m a year. However, there have been objections from MPs, broadcast union Bectu and the National Union of Journalists.

The changes would see the ITV West and West Country bulletins merged into one. The same would happen to the Border and Tyne Tees regions, the East and West Midlands, and the Meridian and Thames Valley regions.

The changes must be approved by Ofcom.

Separately, ITV has appointed John Kaye Cooper as controller of entertainment. He joins on April 11 from Talent Group, where he is a director. He takes over from Duncan Gray, who brought shows such as 'Dancing On Ice' and 'Britain's Got Talent' to air. The changes come following the appointment of Peter Fincham as director of television last month.

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