400 jobs at risk at ITV

Michael Grade, Chairman of ITV, has announced that the group is to reduce its regional news budget by up to £40 million. However, the union has condemned the cutback as it threatens 400 jobs as the news team is likely to be cut in half.

Some will be merged and some will be axed as 17 separate programmes become 9. Border news service is to be merged with Tyne Tees whereas the West Country and West of England bulletins become one programme. Also at risk are the Central, Meridian, Yorkshire and Anglia regions.

Staff were informed by Mr Grade in a letter saying he was looking to save £35-40 million a year from the channel’s £120 million regional programming budget.

Unions stated that ITV spends approximately £85 million of this on local news. It is anticipated that cuts will be made in 2009 but they initially have to be agreed by Ofcom, the industry watchdog.

The Chairman promised a make-over for ITV declaring old programmes will go and fewer repeats will be shown. In addition, more quality drama’s at peak time will be shown.

Michael Grade’s comments follow that of the BBC who announced that they will increase the number of repeats it shows. The Chairman also said that the channel must be better and higher quality. He added that the channel had lost its edge with the 9pm slot during the week in spite of it doing well at the weekend.

The channel has been losing viewers over the last 4 years, primarily due to the success of digital TV. However, it has been established that the decline in ITV1 viewing figures has slowed.

However, the programming budget for ITV’s main channel will not be increased but an additional £20 million will be spent on original programmes for the ITV2 channel in 2008.

Story link: 400 jobs at risk at ITV