REDUCTIONS IN LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE BY MERIDIAN

Early day motion 2067, tabled 9 October 2007 by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 33 members.

That this House notes with grave concern the plans put forward by ITV to reduce its number of regional newsrooms from 17 to 9; further notes with particular concern its proposal to merge the three current Meridian regional news programmes; believes this would lead to the loss of a dedicated service for Sussex and Kent and radically reduce the provision of local information to viewers in the South East; further believes that such a merger would equate to a neglect of public service broadcasting commitments by ITV and would presage the end of local output on the channel; and calls upon the Government to press Ofcom to refuse its approval for the merger.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, Liberal Democrat 11, Conservative 5, DUP 1, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.