Concerns have been raised at Holyrood that Ofcom’s consultation on STV’s proposed news changes has been conducted with “minds made up”.
Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Culture Committee, Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston challenged Ofcom over a letter to Parliament stating it was “proposing to approve STV’s request” to axe a dedicated north of Scotland TV news programme.
Quoting from the letter, he said: “In our view, STV’s proposal will ensure that audiences continue to be served with high-quality regional news provision on a sustainable basis for STV. That sounds pretty made up.”
Responding, Ofcom group director of broadcast and media Cristina Nicolotti Squires insisted the consultation was still open, but said the proposals were “the best thing for audiences across Scotland and for the sustainability of the STV licence.”
She said: “With all consultation processes we take into account the range of views, the volume of views that have been provided, and we will perhaps go back to the licence holder on this occasion and might have further discussions with them.”
STV announced last year it plans to scrap its standalone north of Scotland news programme, replacing it with a single Glasgow-based broadcast featuring regional opt-outs, with around 60 jobs initially at risk.
Ms Nicolotti Squires acknowledged “a loss of local news perhaps on a linear television programme”, but said viewing habits were changing and Ofcom would “be monitoring STV” to ensure audiences across Scotland remain served.
Around 80 STV journalists recently took part in strike action in Glasgow and Aberdeen over the proposals. STV has said 28 newsroom roles are affected, “the majority of which have been achieved through voluntary redundancy or redeployment.”