John Swinney urges Ofcom to reject STV plans to cut north of Scotland programme

The First Minister has written to Ofcom urging it to reject STV’s plans to scrap its dedicated news programme for the north of Scotland.

John Swinney expressed concern that the proposals will “set a damaging precedent and accelerate the decline of public interest journalism in Scotland”.

The SNP leader set out his views in his response to the broadcast regulator’s consultation on the planned cuts.

STV announced last year it plans to axe the programme and cut 60 jobs.

It will replace it with a single programme from Glasgow, which will include sections devoted to regional news.

The cancellation would require permission from the regulator Ofcom.

Mr Swinney urged the watchdog to save the programme, saying: “The Scottish Government strongly believes that these proposals would not achieve the vital aim to ensure audiences are well-served with high-quality news across Scotland.

“Regional news coverage and bulletins are essential for democratic accountability and local representation; maintaining audience trust and engagement and supporting regional journalism and sustaining jobs.

“It is vital that high-quality, independent local bulletins are preserved, editorial centres outside Glasgow are maintained, and Scottish-based jobs and equitable news access across Scotland are safeguarded.

“We strongly urge Ofcom to consider the long-term implications for plurality, local democracy, and the health of Scotland’s media landscape before removing current public service obligations.

“Weakening these obligations would set a damaging precedent and accelerate the decline of public interest journalism in Scotland.”

On social media, he added: “At a time of rising misinformation, it’s more important than ever to protect trusted, local news outlets.”

The SNP has urged other parties to join the First Minister in urging Ofcom to reject the cuts.

But last week, an Ofcom director said the changes are the “best thing for audiences across Scotland” and for the “sustainability” of STV’s licence.

Giving evidence to the Culture Committee at Holyrood, Ofcom’s group director of broadcast and media, Cristina Nicolotti Squires, said the regulator “will be monitoring STV” to ensure the new programme will interest people across Scotland.

She said: “There is a loss of local news perhaps on a linear television programme, which fewer and fewer people watching.

“There will be more news on the platforms that people are using to consume news, that is what the outcome should be.

“If the proposal goes ahead we will be monitoring STV to make sure that the programme that comes out of Glasgow has got a good range of material that is of interest to people right across Scotland, and we’ll be holding them to account on that.”

Ms Nicolotti Squires added: “With all consultation processes we take into account the range of views, the volume of views that have been provided, and we will perhaps go back to the licence holder on this occasion and might have further discussions with them, but we think that the proposal they’re putting forward is the best thing for audiences across Scotland and for the sustainability of the STV licence.”