This is only the start. UTV will be down to Wales level of local output as soon as ITV can wangle it.
There is very little between Wales and NI in terms of local output at the moment, and UTV tried to get them on equal levels a couple of years ago. It was rejected by Ofcom - maybe it would be different now, but still, lets not talk as if UTV is this great bastion of local programming.
Of course they aren't going to keep the announcers. ITV will sack off any regional distinctiveness (and programming commitments) as fast as they can get away with.
Yes. Sadly, they are going to want to save as much as they can in order to afford to make programming.
It shouldn't really come as a surprise to any of the staff but it doesn't take away from the sadness of them losing their jobs.
It is without doubt a sad process, and it is only likely to get worse over time.
And I wouldn't share your view that the savings are in order to be able to afford to run more programming from Belfast. This will be next in line for the chop, once ITV gets it past the regulator.
We know this, because ITV and its predecessor companies have done this before with each of the other companies that were taken over.
But hey, NI viewers get a shiny new logo so all is well, eh?
I didn't mean that they'll save the money for local programming - I meant network programming so they can afford things like the voice.
In an age where Netflix and Amazon are blooming - the price of programming is going to sky rocket... which is already bad news for the BBC.
This is only the start. UTV will be down to Wales level of local output as soon as ITV can wangle it.
There is very little between Wales and NI in terms of local output at the moment, and UTV tried to get them on equal levels a couple of years ago. It was rejected by Ofcom - maybe it would be different now, but still, lets not talk as if UTV is this great bastion of local programming.
Exactly, UTV even before the purchase by ITV have been chipping away at their local output. They also had that round of cuts in late 2008 that saw Tina , Pamela and a bunch of other staff head out the door.
This is only the start. UTV will be down to Wales level of local output as soon as ITV can wangle it.
There is very little between Wales and NI in terms of local output at the moment, and UTV tried to get them on equal levels a couple of years ago. It was rejected by Ofcom - maybe it would be different now, but still, lets not talk as if UTV is this great bastion of local programming.
Exactly, UTV even before the purchase by ITV have been chipping away at their local output. They also had that round of cuts in late 2008 that saw Tina , Pamela and a bunch of other staff head out the door.
How come they came back? Did they have to go freelance?
There is very little between Wales and NI in terms of local output at the moment, and UTV tried to get them on equal levels a couple of years ago. It was rejected by Ofcom - maybe it would be different now, but still, lets not talk as if UTV is this great bastion of local programming.
Exactly, UTV even before the purchase by ITV have been chipping away at their local output. They also had that round of cuts in late 2008 that saw Tina , Pamela and a bunch of other staff head out the door.
How come they came back? Did they have to go freelance?
Around 2009 people like Ivan Little, Claire McCollum, Fearghal McKinney and Adrian Logan left the station and Pamela Ballentine went freelance and did continuity announcing again and eventually came back to UTV Life this past year. People like Tina Campbell stayed but seemed to appear less and less on screen and their regional programmes such as Late and Live disappeared which is why she went to BBC NI.
As others have mentioned UTV are not the same regional provider they were even 10 years ago, they axed long standing programmes like the 5.30pm UTV Life, Kelly, School Choir, School Around the Corner and Sarah Travers show as they didn't want to opt out of the ITV schedule as much. Yes they compensated by bringing in UTV Live Tonight and keeping Lesser Spotted Ulster but they certainly were axing more and more programming.
Last edited by toby lerone 2016 on 6 October 2016 4:54pm
:-(
A former member
I wonder what would have happened if there got a Local TV station. Although STV still has the 8pm Mon/Fri slots along with 8pm tuesday. There have ramped up local content, and there swap stuff over. UTV could have had a new age.
I wonder what would have happened if there got a Local TV station. Although STV still has the 8pm Mon/Fri slots along with 8pm tuesday. There have ramped up local content, and there swap stuff over. UTV could have had a new age.
This is only the start. UTV will be down to Wales level of local output as soon as ITV can wangle it.
There is very little between Wales and NI in terms of local output at the moment, and UTV tried to get them on equal levels a couple of years ago. It was rejected by Ofcom - maybe it would be different now, but still, lets not talk as if UTV is this great bastion of local programming.
I agree - and the situation is probably better now for ITV Wales than it was a few years ago.
I wonder what would have happened if there got a Local TV station. Although STV still has the 8pm Mon/Fri slots along with 8pm tuesday. There have ramped up local content, and there swap stuff over. UTV could have had a new age.
That could have saved UTV.
I think the "Northern Visions" company was a shoe-in for the local Greater Belfast slot as they'd been on analogue before switch-off.
Things could also have been very different if UTV bought STV as it nearly did a few years ago.
Things could also have been very different if UTV bought STV as it nearly did a few years ago.
Yes, the combined group would have been swallowed by someone else far sooner.
Is that likely though? In the current political climate I can't see STV facing the same fate as UTV. Scottish politicians would have been up in arms.
:-(
A former member
I think that part of the reason ITV hasn't gone after STV yet is because of all the trouble it would have, I doubt Scotland Tonight could go since ITV border scot has that current affairs show at the same time, plus I doubt it would go down well if three news shows with on e having a LIVE opt out were merged to be come one? plus add in the local tv etc.