Dear Sandra

Read your remarks about the new Whiteley HQ and regional programmes. You probably know by now that regional non news programmes are to be cut in half with immediate effect and will disappear in 3 years or whenever the first digital switchover happens whichever is sooner. That means your constituents will no longer be able to se programmes like Country Ways, Coastal Ways, Monkey Business on Meridian because there will be no slots for them.
Talk of increases in region production (as distinct from programmes made in the region, for the region)is a red herring - and especially ironic for Meridian as its highly successful Network Factual and Sport Departments were closed when the move the Whiteley was announced as there was no will to make provision for them in the new premises despite the fact they made a healthy profit and employed large numbers of people. By far the bulk of ITV's out of London or regional production comes from either Manchester or Leeds and a significant proportion is accounted for by Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
YOu rightly point out the issue surrouinding scheduling of non news regional programmes - these are not slots programme makers would choose but even so regional programmes across the country have still outperformed network programmes slot for slot which must surely demonstrate that even when they are practicall impossible to find, they still appeal to the local audience.
Ironically also the Thursday 7.30pm slot (against Eastenders) is now being lauded by ITV's senior management as the best performing weekday slots outside the soaps - across the country it is now regularly attracting an audience of 6 million plus - far more than watch the regional evening news!!

In any case, these programmes aren't about mass audience appeal, they are public service broadcasting - and their value goes way beyond the number of viewers they attract (although as I have said this is healthier than network audiences in the same slots. For example, the value to West Dorset of the programme Monkey Business, is incalculable. Who knows how much to local economy has benefited from the boost to tourism as a result of this programme? And there are many, many more examples. There are also the many social affairs programmes that fit into these slots - programmes that provide a genuine service to the viewer and, until funding was reduced, gave viewers access to information, helplines etc.
The loss of these programmes will be an enormous loss to the region and while the blow may not be felt immediately as peaktime shows will continue for the moment, once the audience realises that favoutites like Country Ways have gone, it will be far too late to do anything to bring them back.
Nicola Phipps | Email | Homepage | 03.03.05 - 11:34 am | #