STV’s chief executive Rufus Radcliffe intends to shut down its northern news operation regardless of opposition to the plan, an MP has claimed.
Mr Radcliffe and managing director Bobby Hain faced MPs in the Commons to explain their proposal as part of £3 million of cuts, including 60 redundancies, half of them journalists.
The two executives, repeated comments made to a Holyrood committee earlier this month, that it was a response to changes in how people consumed news. North east news would be protected through opt-outs from bulletins produced in Glasgow.
MPs on the Scottish Affairs committee were not satisfied that this met the needs of the region which they regard as needing its own studio output.
Speaking after the session, Liberal Democrat Susan Murray, said: “I’m frustrated by Rufus Radcliffe’s answers today. It sounds like he intends to plough ahead regardless of the impact on viewers in the north of Scotland.
“The plans to merge STV North with STV Central threatens to dilute local news for Scottish communities who rely on this news broadcast for local connectivity to know what is going on in their area.
“The proposal risks media plurality and regional representation. STV have a public service obligation to provide Scotland with regional as well as national broadcasting.
SNP MP Dave Doogan accused STV bosses of being “clueless” by being unable to provide viewing figures for the north east.
He said the admission calls into question how STV chiefs reached the decision if they were not equipped with the most basic of figures.
Mr Hain conceded: “there are no figures for STV North per se”, explaining that figures were compiled independently, but what they showed was a decline which was consistent with the industry. Mr Radcliffe noted that seven in ten people now consume news online which meant most were aware of the news before the 6pm bulletin.
The planned cutback was slammed by Mr Doogan for having what he described as “all the hallmarks of a kneejerk reaction” remarking that “anyone can cut costs. That’s not how to turn a business around. A strategic plan for investment in the future, growing the revenue base would turn a business around.”
He added: “We’ve got a Chief Financial Officer announcing earlier on this year that this was a cash generative business, shortly followed by a profits warning. And then, over and above that, we’ve got STV wilfully walking in to a ten-year licence renewal, only to renege on it within months.”
Mr Radcliffe explained that the licence process was pulled together over a number of years, in the latest case it began in 2021.
“A lot has happened since then,” he said.
STV intends to launch a new radio station early in the new year, saying it is confident that there is a gap in the market for locally-produced programmes.
BBC Scotland has confirmed that its own long-running flagship radio station Good Morning Scotland will be replaced by new show, claiming it will be “pacy, informal and informative”.
Radio Scotland Breakfast, which begins on 24 November, will be presented by Martin Geissler and Laura Maciver, with Phil Goodlad joining the team to present the sports news.
Current presenters Gary Robertson and Laura Maxwell are taking up other presenting roles.
Robertson will replace Geissler as the presenter of The Sunday Show on BBC One Scotland and BBC Radio Scotland.
Maxwell will move to BBC Radio Scotland’s early evening news show Drivetime, where she will share the single presenting duties with Fiona Stalker across the week. She will also present editions of Lunchtime Live.
Good Morning Scotland has been on air for more than 50 years, making it one of the country’s longest-running radio shows.
Geissler will continue to host current affairs podcast Scotcast, which runs on BBC Sounds, TV, radio and BBC iPlayer.
The changes come amid the suspension of presenter Kaye Adams, who hosted the show that following Good Morning Scotland. She faced allegations of “bullying” junior staff members, claims she strongly denies.
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