That this House celebrates the contribution of ITV Regional News to the DNA of ITV, providing millions of viewers with news programmes that strongly reflect the cultural and social lives of their area; reflects that regional news has been a key obligation of the Channel 3 licence holder since its launch in 1954 providing strong competition to the BBC in this genre of programming to the benefit of all viewers; recognises that Ofcom's first PSB review concluded that the existing commercial PSB model would not be sustainable following digital switchover but also notes Michael Grade's comments in June 2007 that `if ITV got an advertising credit for its national and regional programmes....Immediately ITV would have an added incentive to invest in programming for the nations and regions'; strongly opposes the Chairman of ITV's precipitate plan announced in September 2007 to cut regional news budgets in half, from ??90 million today to ??40-50 million in the future, reduce regions from 17 (11 regions and 6 sub-regions) to nine, and merge areas such as Tyne Tees with Border, West and West country, East and West Midlands and Meridian and Thames Valley; and calls on ITV and Ofcom to work together to find a solution that enables ITV to generate sufficient income to maintain a regional news network of which both the country and the regions are rightly proud.

That this House celebrates the contribution of ITV Regional News to the DNA of ITV, providing millions of viewers with news programmes that strongly reflect the cultural and social lives of their area; reflects that regional news has been a key obligation of the Channel 3 licence holder since its...

That this House notes with grave concern the plans put forward by ITV to reduce its number of regional newsrooms from 17 to 9; further notes with particular concern its proposal to merge the three current Meridian regional news programmes; believes this would lead to the loss of a dedicated service for Sussex and Kent and radically reduce the provision of local information to viewers in the South East; further believes that such a merger would equate to a neglect of public service broadcasting commitments by ITV and would presage the end of local output on the channel; and calls upon the Government to press Ofcom to refuse its approval for the merger.

That this House notes with grave concern the plans put forward by ITV to reduce its number of regional newsrooms from 17 to 9; further notes with particular concern its proposal to merge the three current Meridian regional news programmes; believes this would lead to the loss of a dedicated...

That this House notes with concern the plans by ITV to amalgamate regional news services across the United Kingdom, in particular to merge ITV Border with Tyne Tees leaving a much more limited news operation in Carlisle to cover the franchise area in the south of Scotland and the north of England; regrets that there have been no details provided about future news coverage for the south of Scotland; believes that the proposals represent an undermining of ITV's public service broadcasting obligations; further notes that the proposals do not comply with the current ITV Border franchise agreement and will therefore require approval by the regulator Ofcom; welcomes the willingness of Mr Michael Grade, and other senior managers at ITV, to meet hon. and right hon. Members representing constituencies in the region; urges ITV to re-consider the proposals; and further urges that if ITV does not revise its plans, Ofcom reject them.

That this House notes with concern the plans by ITV to amalgamate regional news services across the United Kingdom, in particular to merge ITV Border with Tyne Tees leaving a much more limited news operation in Carlisle to cover the franchise area in the south of Scotland and the north...