Ofcom moves to ease regional fears
ITV regulator Ofcom has denied that that its proposals to relax ITV's regional obligations are a "done deal."
Speaking at a conference on the future of regional TV in Manchester on Thursday 4 November Ofcom's project leader Robin Foster and Content Board advisor Sarah Thane both insisted that Ofcom's proposals for the future of public service broadcasting were the subject of genuine and continuing consultation.
Representatives from ITV unions are now due to meet on 8 November in London to give further thought to the industry unions' formal submissions to Ofcom. BECTU's full submission will be posted on the union's website after submission to Ofcom.
Union efforts to protect regional programme-making in ITV have already been boosted by a wave of support from newspapers around the country (See below).
In its wide-ranging Phase 2 report into the future of PSB, Ofcom proposes that non-news regional output (out of peak) be cut from 3 hours a week to 1.5 hours from January 2005. Ofcom's review also places a significant and grave question mark over the entire sustainability of regional programmes and regional news output in the face of digital switchover.
BECTU had challenged Ofcom on the integrity of the consultation following an email issued by Granada TV MD, Susan Woodward, to all staff on the day Ofcom's Phase 2 report was published, saying that ITV now had the go-ahead to "reduce their regional non-news commitment from 3 hours to 1.5 hours a week from January 2005". BECTU was aware that ITV had been lobbying hard for the cuts from at least July.
In response to BECTU's challenge, Ofcom, at the most senior level, insists that a genuine consultation is in place and yet at the same time the regulator also says it has no powers to influence how ITV runs its business.
"Ofcom's repeated insistence on outputs not inputs is getting a touch wearing. How can it stand by and let ITV make plans to cut staff from January and maintain its independence and integrity as the regulator leading an industry consultation?" asked Sharon Elliott, BECTU independent broadcasting official.
BECTU has had substantial contact with Ofcom this year, particularly in a union campaign against the loss of 600 jobs at ITV in the Midlands and Southampton. On both issues Ofcom said it had now powers to intervene.
As the regulator's PSB consultation continues BECTU will be pressing for early and detailed insight into Ofcom's plans for the BBC to assume principal responsibility for public service broadcasting in the UK and the regional element within that.
"One encouraging point to emerge from the IPPR event is the possibility of agreement that change should be evolutionary rather than revolutionary to minimise damage to commercial regional TV and to its staff. Both BECTU and PACT agree that timing is important and Ofcom does appear willing to listen on this issue" commented Sharon Elliott.
The BBC were represented at the Manchester event - organised by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) - by Pat Loughrey, Director of Nations and Regions. Mr Loughrey trailed further details of the BBC's review of operations as part of the Charter Renewal process.
According to Mr Loughrey the BBC intends to manage £1 billion of the BBC's income from the regions linked to the location of 50 per cent of the BBC's staff outside London. Mr Loughrey promised that a top-level announcement on the plan would be made in December.
"Surely it is time to halt the acute waste of resources evidenced by multiple redundancies and constant reviews of operations across the industry going back years?" argued Sharon Elliott.
"Ofcom says it review of PSB is about maintaining and strengthening PSB - if that is the case then time must be factored in to allow for change without jettisoning the programme making resources we have at ITV in pursuit of a new era for PSB" Elliott continued.