MERIDIAN

Early day motion 1696, tabled 23 July 2002 by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 26 members.

That this House deplores the decision taken by Granada, the new owners of Meridian, to reduce the number of hours Meridian devotes to regional programming from fifteen-and-a-half hours to eight-and-a-half hours, a reduction of seven hours a week; suggests that the collapse of ITV Digital and the financial cost of that to Granada has contributed to that decision; recognises the strength and popularity of Meridian's regional programming including its political programming; and calls on Granada to reverse its decision, return to fifteen-and-a-half hours of regional programming per week and ensure that the time allocated to current affairs programming remains undiluted within Meridian's schedule.

Signatures by party: Labour 12, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 3, Labour/Co-operative 1, UUP 1.