Carlton-Granada Merger Must Respect Local Programming And Staffing

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 8th Oct 2003

Hampshire MEP Chris Huhne today said that the Government's approval of the merger between Carlton and Granada needed to go hand in hand with tough monitoring of the provisions for local programmes.

'In the mergers so far within ITV, staffing and production at Meridian's facilities in Southampton has been cut back so that even programming links are now done from studios outside the region. This further merger must respect the public service commitments of ITV to the coverage of local communities and local politics.

'The role of the media - print as well as television and local radio - is absolutely crucial to the maintenance of a lively political debate at local level. It would be a disaster for democratic politics in Britain if, just at the moment when parties are increasingly recognising the importance of the local dimension in the delivery of high quality public services, ITV pulled the plug on serious local coverage.

'I am already concerned about the run-down of staff and programming for television in Southampton. I will monitor the results of this merger closely to ensure that the £55 million of cost savings that Carlton and Granada have pencilled in do not include further cutbacks in regional capacity' said Mr Huhne.

Mr Huhne also said that he would seek meetings with representatives of BECTU, the broadcasting trade union. 'Local journalism, including television journalism, is vital' said Mr Huhne.

Note to editors: Mr Huhne was formerly a journalist on both regional and national newspapers, and has also reported and presented television programmes. Mr Huhne is also a past chairman of the Liberal Democrats' broadcasting and press policy panel. Meridian is a subsidiary of Granada TV, and will therefore be affected by the Carlton-Granada merger. Meridian serves a population of 5.5 million in an area extending beyond the Thames estuary to Essex in the north and taking in all major centres as far west as Weymouth in Dorset. The main studio complex is in Southampton, with further news centres and studios at Maidstone, Newbury and Brighton.