By Chris Story

Last updated 11:40, Monday, 09 June 2008

THE fate of ITV Border’s threatened Lookaround news magazine will be known by early next year.

Campaign: Lookaround presenter Fiona Armstrong has joined the calls to save the programme

Broadcast industry regulator Ofcom has confirmed to the News & Star that it will rule on controversial plans the could signal the end of the flagship programme within the first quarter of 2009.

And a senior executive has revealed that some of the watchdog’s officials will visit the Border region as part of a fact-finding mission later this month.

Ofcom will have the final say on whether ITV can go ahead with sweeping nationwide reviews as part of a £40m cost-cutting drive that the broadcaster says is crucial to the survival of regional television.

If approved, it would lead to Border’s Carlisle-based news team being merged with that of Tyne Tees, with a single evening bulletin – including opt-outs for Cumbria and southern Scotland – broadcast from Gateshead.

Trade unions and politicians have led a vocal campaign opposing the plans and fear that up to half of the current 80 jobs at Border could be lost in the move.

Ofcom is set to study the proposals as part of a review into the country’s public service broadcasting, which could lead to radical changes in the way regional news programmes are funded.

Head of content policy Steve Perkins said ITV’s regional revamp will be considered over the summer with audience research factored into their study.

He said: “By the early autumn we will have a proposal of what we are recommending for the ITV proposal.

“That will then go out for 10 weeks’ public consultation. In the new year, after we know what the consultation says, we will issue a final decision on the proposal – whether to accept or reject them or accept some parts but not others.”

Opponents of the merger plans have already met with Ofcom officials in London and Mr Perkins said they put their points across “very clearly”.

Work is to continue over the next few months to gague wider public opinion on the plans.

Mr Perkins added: “A lot of the review is linked to the Border TV issue, but looks across the UK at different ways that we could deliver public service content if the way of financing it through the broadcasting franchise is not going to work any more.”

Among the suggestions already made by Ofcom about funding local news is to plough a share of the television licence fee into regional broadcasting.

Others include making ITV1, Channel 4 and Five purely commercial with the market providing the only competition to the BBC, for broadcasters to bid for long-term funding to provide public service competition to the BBC, and making the BBC and Channel 4 the main UK-wide public service broadcasters.

ITV says it is having to review its regional set-up as competition for advertising increases from digital television channels.

The broadcaster has denied the Border-Tyne Tees merger will lead to Cumbria being marginalised, as opponents have claimed.

CStory@cngroup.co.uk