ITV news cuts

By PRSD, on Tuesday, January 22, 2008

posted by Cptn

Just when we thought the south west was becoming a media hub, ITV has decided to hack out the core of the TV service. Puff goes all the hard work of ensuring jobs, skills and opportunities stay in the South West. But you don’t have to listen to bitter-ole-me, over on D+CFilm Tim Lezard, defence correspondent of ITV Westcountry, writes about the how the changes will affect local news, damage the region economically and hit jobs.

And what can we do? Well, let’s see if MPs are worth the pay rise â€“ get in touch and see if they can stir themseelves. Or write to once-upon-a-time cigar-munching Michael Grade to see what he call pull out of his non-existant hat.

Come and enjoy Devon – book a hotel and get away!

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David Worth

Why so gloomy,? Look at this as an opportunity instead of an unmitigated disaster. So the big commercial broadcasters can't make a profit from local news collection? Fine. Let a group of local entrepreneurs step in instead. How difficult can it be to get hold of a camcorder some editing software and a platform to distribute the programmes? If the Main Stream Media doesn't want all those advertising revenues from locally based companies who want to advertise, I'll take it off their hands. I know there will be people out there who will posit that the internet is still not a suitable platform for distribution because of inequalities of access (the old, the poor, etc.) Well, at this time you may have a point, but I would guess that within five years not having access to broadband will be on a par with not having a telephone today. Times change and peoples consumption of media changes with it. As long as the internet remains as gloriously unfettered as it is today, there remains the chance of creating a new news media where YOUR message can get as much exposure as anyone else's. If you want to produce a news programme that closely looks at environmental matters, arts subsidies, and social inclusion, go ahead and make it. If I want to produce a news programme on how Europe is ruining our lives, we are being taxed to death, and our taxes are also being used to prop up a load of worthless luvvies prancing around on stage, I get to do that as well. Local television as we knew it is dead. Long live REAL local news broadcasting. Bags first rights on Gus Hunneybun though.

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