By Chris Story

Last updated 11:38, Monday, 21 April 2008

BROADCAST bosses who will decided the fate of the country’s most popular regional news magazine have promised to visit the ITV Border region.

Officials from industry regulator Ofcom made the pledge to a cross-border delegation of MPs during a meeting at Westminster.

Politicians again stressed their opposition to the potential loss of Lookaround if a controversial merger of the news teams of Carlisle-based Border and Tyne Tees in Gateshead is approved.

Among those who heard their concerns about the future of the area’s regional television news was Peter Phillips, the man in charge of the Public Service Broadcasting Review, which will eventually determine the shape of ITV’s local news set-up.

Speaking after the meeting, Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell said: “I welcome the opportunity to have a very frank discussion with Ofcom in which I, along with my fellow MPs, made it clear the value that local people place on ITV’s Border News service and the fact that they don’t want to be simply swallowed up by Tyne Tees or STV.

“I am also pleased that Ofcom officials agreed to visit the ITV Border region and hopefully will have an opportunity to meet stakeholders on both sides of the border.

“I am sure they were left in no doubt as to the public’s wish locally to retain Border Television.”

Lookaround’s fate should be known by next spring. If it disappears, news for the Border region will become part of the main Tyne Tees bulletin, with a regional opt-out lasting several minutes.

A 10-week consultation on ITV’s revamp will be launched in September.

Sign the News & Star’s petition to save Lookaround at www.newsandstar.co.uk/border online.