NRegan

Last updated 00:00, Friday, 09 November 2007

BORDER Television staff will take their campaign to save Lookaround to the streets at the switch-on of Carlisle’s Christmas lights.

They will be handing out postcards and flyers on November 18 urging people to lobby broadcast industry regulator Ofcom in an attempt to stop the axe falling on the nightly news magazine.

Some of the programme’s most recognisable personalities may also speak publicly in an attempt to galvanise the increasing support for their battle against ITV’s plans to merge the Carlisle news operation with Tyne Tees in Gateshead.

They fear the proposal would lead to major job cuts from the Durranhill station’s 80 staff and to a dip in standards and the number of stories covered from the Border region.

Border’s National Union of Journalists (NUJ) spokesman Adam Powell said: “Obviously, we feel the public are right behind us but we want to take every opportunity to get out on a much bigger stage.

“The switch-on of the Christmas lights is perfect to spread the message that this is something the public really can help us with. If there is enough public support for us, Ofcom will stop this proposal from occurring.”

ITV’s plans to merge news for Border and Tyne Tees from 2009 are part of a cost-cutting measure to save up to £40 million a year.

Executives have said that Cumbria, southern Scotland and the Isle of Man will not be poorly served with stories covered as part of the main bulletins and through a mini-bulletin opt-out for the area.

The broadcaster has pledged to keep a news gathering team in the Border region and to maintain standards.

Claims that the news set-up’s revamp will lead to the entire Border operation disappearing have been denied.