STV has appeared before the Scottish Parliament in response to its cost-saving plans – which include a request to merge its evening bulletins.
Announced last month, the broadcaster said that 60 roles would be impacted across its business.
CEO Rufus Radcliffe, and Bobby Hain, MD of the Audience Division gave evidence in front of the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee.
“As a commercial public service broadcaster, the challenges we face are significant, driven by changing viewer behaviour and tough macro-economic conditions. These challenges are not unique to STV, but they require a pragmatic response if we are to remain competitive,” stated Radcliffe.
“To protect STV’s long-term prospects and continue our contribution to Scotland’s economy and culture, we must restructure, streamline operations and accelerate digital transformation — while staying deeply committed to regional news and our public service values.
“Our plan is carefully designed to protect regional journalism, because it is not financially sustainable in its current form, and we are confident that we will deliver more stories to more people, wherever and however they want to consume it.”
He added:
“The changes we have proposed across the business are grounded in our determination to secure STV’s future amid rapidly changing viewer habits. The biggest threat to our business would be to ignore what our viewers are doing and make no changes at all.”
STV said it was seeking to get permission from Ofcom to make changes to STV Central and STV North, to co-produce a single news service for Scotland.
It added that newsgathering teams would continue to be based on the ground across Scotland and from all existing bases in Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
