The Herald & Times Group, Johnston Press and DC Thomson are in discussions about working together to offer regional news on television and enhanced local coverage on the internet.
Their proposal comes in response to plans for Independently Funded News Consortia to receive public money to provide multi-media and broadcast news, replacing existing services on Channel 3.
The consortia were suggested by industry regulator Ofcom as a way of ensuring high quality news provision in different areas and the government’s Digital Britain report recommended that pilots should get under way next year in Scotland, Wales and one English region.
STV has already outlined its plans for a “Scottish Six”, an hour-long evening news programme which will include international, UK, Scottish and local news if funding is secured.
But the Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention yesterday heard that the Herald & Times Group, which owns The Herald, Sunday Herald, and Evening Times newspapers; Johnston Press, whose titles include The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News; and DC Thomson, whose titles include The Courier, is considering a rival bid.
Herald & Times group managing editor Tom Thomson said: “This unprecedented alliance of three major Scottish newspaper groups with their almost 1000 editorial staff spread across the nation is an exceptionally strong contender for the IFNC Scottish pilot.
“We do not support a state subsidy for news but if this funding is offered we are obliged to seek it. We would otherwise face a second state-supported competitor as well as the BBC in the uniquely challenging markets we face.”
Mr Thomson, who announced the alliance at the conference as chair of the bid working group, added: “Many details of the Digital Britain proposal remain unclear and we await further details from Ofcom and the government while we continue planning our bid.”
Andrew Richardson, group business development manager at Johnston Press, added: “Whilst the regional press have never asked for a public subsidy because we do not look at the state funding of news and the process to bid to become an IFNC remains unclear, if it goes ahead we will take part.
“The regional press have the best editorial proposition by far in Scotland and throughout the UK and we intend to work with a partner with video expertise and will be able to deliver an enhanced news service.”
Ofcom previously said that the existing system of news provision in the UK was “unsustainable” and Independently Funded News Consortia were the only way in which to provide an alternative to the BBC’s news in the regions.
The Digital Britain report, published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in June, said that the consortia could be existing television news providers, newspaper groups, or other newsgathering agencies.
A consultation is currently under way on whether the funding necessary for the news consortia could be taken from the licence fee in future.
However, the Conservatives have also launched their own consultation on a national network of local television stations which would not receive any form of public subsidy.
The Royal Television Society also heard yesterday about STV’s plans for an hour-long news programme, which would offer more local coverage and allow a Scottish perspective on international and UK stories.
In a statement issued earlier,
Bobby Hain, MD of broadcasting at STV, said: “STV’s unique news service is highly valued by viewers in Scotland and has seen a rise in audience share over the past five years.
“We aim to build on this and believe that we are well placed to provide this unique new service, in terms of our profile, infrastructure, resources and expertise, working in conjunction with ITN who would bring outstanding international experience.”
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