Plug Pulled On UTV's Welsh News Pilot

There's muted disappointment at a regional TV station this week as a pilot scheme to provide a replacement news service for ITV Wales is now to be scrapped.

The new government's Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt said that it would be "inappropriate" to spend scarce public money "propping up expensive regional news services".

Ulster Television (UTV), which was picked to co-run Wales Live, said it was "not surprised", while the Welsh Heritage Minister expressed disappointment at the decision after Mr Hunt said that the cash would go to superfast broadband instead - something that UTV is already strongly committed to supplying in the home market.

Michael Wilson, Managing Director, UTV Television commented: "Given the Conservative Party position on Independently-Funded News Consortium (IFNC) we are not surprised by the decision"

He insisted that it remained a fantastic achievement to win the IFNC project for Wales given the tough competition.

"While we will not get a chance to implement our proposals we are proud of the national recognition we received for providing award winning news in Northern Ireland and an unrivalled standard of journalism, high quality production and comprehensive coverage."

The Wales Live project was set up by UTV and NWN Media - a multi-media publisher - to bid for the Government-funded IFNC pilot project for Wales.

Wales Live proposed to create a dynamic cross-platform news force for Wales, delivering content for television, radio, newspaper and online services for the whole of Wales, he explained.

David Faulkner, Managing Director, NWN Media said: "Wales Live - our partnership with UTV - saw this as an unrivalled opportunity to change the landscape of news provision in Wales where there is an urgent need for that change.

"We are disappointed with the statement that the news pilots will not proceed."

The previous government had chosen a provider for local news in Wales after ITV said the service had become too expensive to produce.

Other options are to now be considered regarding the local news service for ITV Wales, as well as the pilots due to run in Scotland and the Tyne Tees/Border region.

The investment bank Lazard has been asked to look at the potential for commercially viable local TV stations in the UK nations and regions.

Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt is determined that funding for the pilots will be used to support the roll-out of superfast broadband.

"Wherever I go in the country, businesses tell me that access to fast, reliable broadband is increasingly essential," he said.

"Superfast broadband is not simply about doing the same things faster, it's about doing totally new things."

He also announced plans to reform local cross-media ownership rules: "We are driving forward greater transparency at all levels of public life - and the challenge and scrutiny of local journalists is vital to that.

"I want a modern regulatory environment which will help nurture a new generation of hungry, ambitious and profitable local media companies."

Welsh Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones said: "Both the Welsh Assembly Government and National Assembly for Wales, following plenary debate, have emphasised the need to ensure plurality and strong news service to ensure that democratic issues for Wales are available to the people of Wales on channel three," he said.

"The channel three news service should not be looked at as a 'regional news' service, but as an essential democratic national news service for the people of Wales."

As well as running the ITV channel in Northern Ireland, Belfast-based UTV also have radio stations including Talk Sport.

Given its low-key protests at losing the project, the fact that UTV Internet is an established provider of residential and business internet services throughout Ireland may have been an influence in its muted response.

UTV Internet offers a range of products including broadband with Managing Director, UTV Television, Michael Wilson saying he "looks forward to working with the new Secretary of State for Culture, his Ministers and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on new ways to deliver regional news which will be both high quality and sustainable" after Jeremy Hunt said effective broadband in rural areas was a 'top priority'.

See: UTV 'Preferred Bidder' For News Pilot

(BMcC/GK)