Ofcom has delayed its decision on whether or not to allow STV to scrap its dedicated north news programme.
The broadcaster announced in September its plans to centralise its news programme with one main broadcast from its Glasgow base in an attempt to save £3million.
The proposed move drew widespread criticism from journalists, viewers and politicians, while Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce also challenged the plans.
AGCC wrote to STV chief executive Rufus Radcliffe, Ofcom, and both the UK and Scottish governments expressing “deep concern and disappointment” at the loss of a dedicated north service.
A decision from Ofcom on whether or not to allow the changes was expected before Easter, but has now been pushed back until after May's Holyrood election.
Ofcom has blamed the delay on a larger than anticipated response to its consultation on the issue, but the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) branded it "astonishing", the BBC reports.
An Ofcom spokesperson said: "We are now aiming to publish our decision as soon as practicable after the Scottish parliamentary elections.
"This will give us time to engage with representations we have received throughout the process."
The NUJ's Scottish organiser Nick McGowan-Lowe said: "Either Ofcom choose to stand by their earlier statement that these proposed changes are 'the best thing for audiences', or they listen to the 83% of viewers in the north of Scotland, the leaders of the five main political parties and STV's own journalists.
"Whichever way they choose to decide, STV's viewers and journalists deserve to know the decision now and there is no sound reason why this decision should be delayed until after the Scottish elections."
In January, the NUJ held a one-day strike over the proposals and the associated risk of compulsory redundancies.
The NUJ and broadcasting union BECTU are now balloting on the possibility of further strikes.
In December, STV rolled back slightly on its planned changes, with revised proposals maintaining some separate news coverage for the North-east.
Under the plans, the main 6pm programme would be split in two, covering Scottish national news broadcast across the country with separate regional segments for the central belt and the north.
The north would still lose its entirely separate service and all studio presentation would still move to Glasgow.
The BBC has contacted STV for comment.