Bid to provide local news content on ITV

A NEW consortium has been launched to provide local TV news programming in the South West to rival the BBC.

The group plans to take advantage of Government proposals that will allow companies to provide local news programmes on ITV.

Backed by regional newspaper group Northcliffe Media – which publishes The Herald – and businessmen, as well as media and television professionals, the consortium will bid to supply the two ITV regional news services that were based in Bristol and Plymouth, when they become available in the run-up to the 2012 digital switchover. ITV has committed to its current provision of regional news until 2012 but has not said what will happen beyond this point.

It follows the broadcaster's announcement last year that it was cutting 430 posts from its regional operations around the UK in a bid to slash £40million worth of costs. The South West consortium is the first of its kind in the region to publicly register interest in the proposals for new regional television news services. It has said that it will draw on the spirit of TSW, Westcountry and HTV, the region's former ITV stations.

The consortium intends to provide a new television news service on ITV across Devon and Cornwall as well as dedicated news for Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Gloucestershire.

Plans include extra local opt-out bulletins in towns and cities across the South West, using the latest technology.

The consortium is being led by former HTV managing director Jeremy Payne.

"We intend to build a truly local television news service for the West Country. After years of decline in ITV regional news, the government has published proposals that will enable us to reintroduce and even improve on the best days of regional news," he said.

West Country journalist and television producer Dave Mason formed the consortium and is determined to see an improved local television news service.

"We intend to provide more localised town and city television bulletins across the region. Research tells us West Country people want more local news from their area, not pan-regional news from a city with which they don't identify," he said.

The new service will link with Northcliffe's existing resources in the region using websites and internet television to extend and improve coverage for local communities.

Steve Anderson-Dixon, Northcliffe's managing director for the South West & Wales, said: "Our newspapers and websites have a unique relationship with readers and users and the prospect of being able to extend that onto television is exciting.

"Our focus has always been to make local matter more and to support local communities to make a difference. I look forward to us further strengthening that relationship by giving people across the West Country truly local news on television."