Published at 21:52, Wednesday, 21 May 2008

AN MSP’s petition protesting over the loss of ITV Border’s Lookaround news programme will be presented to broadcasting regulator Ofcom in Glasgow next Thursday.

John Lamont, MSP for Roxburgh & Berwickshire, has received several thousand responses to the ITV Border petition

Roxburgh & Berwickshire MSP John Lamont said he had had an overwhelming response to his petition to save Border’s news. He will be joined by Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell and the Conservatives’ Westminster candidate for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk Chris Walker, along with representatives from ITV Border.

Mr Lamont said: “My office has been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of responses from people wishing to support the petition. Several thousand responses have been received so far and they are continuing to arrive even now.

“If anyone was in any doubt about the strength of feeling in the Borders over ITV’s decision to merge Border’s news with Tyne Tees, this petition has shown just what a big issue it is.

“Ofcom have a very important role in determining how the plans develop over the next few months and I look forward to delivering the views of the people of the Borders when I see them next week.

“It is clear that the Borders wants to retain its local TV service and I am disappointed that ITV are still not listening to what their viewers think.

“The current service may not be perfect but it is significantly better than the alternative being proposed. I will continue to fight to retain Border’s news so we have a truly local news service.”

The comments by ITN’s managing director about ITV’s plans to abolish some of its regional television news services reveal the danger of ITV’s approach, says Borders MP Michael Moore.

ITN boss, Robin Elias, said that abolishing regional news would “badly hit” ITN’s ability to deliver proper news services to national audiences.

Mr Elias highlighted the importance of the 17 current regional news operations in providing resources and stories for ITV’s national bulletins which are produced by ITN.

The head of news and current affairs at Channel 4, Dorothy Bryne, has also spoken of the “absolutely vital” role of ITV’s regional newsrooms to Channel 4’s news operations.

ITV plans to reduce its number of regional news operations from 17 to nine, including the merger of ITV Border with Tyne Tees.

These plans are being opposed by Mr Moore and his Scottish parliament colleagues Jeremy Purvis and Jim Hume.

Mr Moore said: “These comments add weight to a growing body of evidence pointing towards the danger that ITV’s plans pose to the news services on our television screens.

“Not only will viewers in the Borders see a deterioration in the local news coverage they enjoy if these plans go ahead but it also now looks as though national news could be affected as well.

“I trust that Ofcom will take these comments fully into account when they review ITV’s proposals and, after talks at the Borders digital forum, I also hope they will agree to come to the region as part of this review so they can hear directly from the people about how these plans will affect them.”

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