Ditch the news- who cares anyway

ITV, the UK's biggest commercial broadcast network will either rue the day or rub its had with glee crowing to its shareholders.

For today the the UK's regulatory broadcasting body, OFCOM will likely allow ITV to ditch its news.

So for example Bordertv will reduce its regional 30 minute slot from half an hour to 15, with news coming from elsewhere, Cumbria - a neighbouring region.

It's like saying New Yorkers will receive part of their news from DC.

The move saves nearly 200 million pounds ITV can give back to its investors and cuts up to 200 jobs.

So to be expected, a lot of people are livid, employers and viewers alike.

The harsh reality is the looming digital switch over, ITV's falling ad budget revenue, which has been slipping year on year and the fact news cost a lot of money, and pound per second doesn't square up the books compared with say drama or reality tv.

ITV effectively wants to relinquish its public service role, an anachronism you might say anyway in these free-for-all digital times.

So if you ever needed reminding, broadcasters aren't altruistic and while they use words such as audience what they mean is their shareholders and ensuring executive staff have a job to go to.

This is instructive, a model to befuddle the populace at the birth of TV and radio, when execs decided how expensive it would be to get a license to transmit, but would be cheaper with a TV set to receive pictures has had its day.

This is the industry's mini-financial crisis. It wasn't supposed to be this way, and five years ago most execs scoffed at the idea that TV, a structure built on solid business acumen would be in dire straights.

As Ed Richards, the chief executive of Ofcom, put it on Radio 4, it's about protecting peak time news, which audience TRULY want to see.

Earlier this year I was asked to a meeting of former broadcasters in the Midlands looking to exploit ITV's plans.

Whilst the BBC is considering going more local, its opposition is moving the other way.

Some one's right somewhere, but then the BBC does receive 3.4 bn UKP in license fee money.

So you're an entrepreneur with a local newspaper, what are you to do?