Broadcast regulator, Ofcom, is to delay a decision over whether STV can change its news output, until after the Holyrood election.
It had originally planned to announce whether it would allow STV to stop its dedicated north of Scotland news service before Easter.
Instead it will be made after Mays’ election.
“This is an astonishing announcement by Ofcom. It is now over seven months since STV caused a disastrous crash in its share price and made the short-sighted decision to slash newsroom jobs in response to board-room incompetence. Since then, STV’s talented journalists have been overstretched in trying to produce the same quality news programmes with a drastically reduced number of staff while they wait for Ofcom to make its mind up,” stated Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser for Scotland.
“Either Ofcom chooses to stand by their earlier statement that these proposed changes are the ‘best thing for audiences’, or they choose to listen to the 83% of viewers in the north of Scotland, the leaders of the five main political parties, and STV’s own journalists – all of whom oppose these drastic cuts. But whichever way they decide, STV’s viewers and journalists deserve to know the decision now, and there is no sound reason why this should be delayed until after the Scottish elections.”
READ MORE – NUJ warns of “dangerous precedent” as Ofcom STV News consultation ends
Ofcom explained that the reason for the delay was the amount of responses to its consultation, which closed last month.
“We are now aiming to publish our decision as soon as practicable after the Scottish parliamentary elections,” said a spokesperson.
“This will give us time to engage with representations we have received throughout the process.”
STV currently operates 2 separate programmes at 6pm, STV Central which is broadcast from Glasgow and STV North, from Aberdeen. Last year the broadcaster proposed a single programme from Glasgow, with regional segments. However, this requires Ofcom approval.
At the time, it said it was seeking to make £3m of savings, in response to changing viewing habits. In January, NUJ members at STV went on strike over the plans.
