UTV broadcast cuts revised

Britain's broadcasting watchdog has revised plans to cut the amount of local programming required at Ulster Television, it was announced today.

Ofcom decided that the level of non-news programmes on the station would still be two hours per week and not one and a half as originally proposed. Viewers would still be able to watch UTV Live evening news bulletins at 6pm and 10.30pm.

The changes would allow more space for regionally-produced shows like UTV Life and Late and Live.

Denis Wolinski, director of Ofcom in the North, said: “Today’s proposals offer new opportunities for viewers to access the diverse, vibrant and engaging content they want, in a digital world.”

Journalists at UTV have been offered voluntary redundancy, with station managers blaming the challenging economic environment, and communications regulator Ofcom’s recent public service broadcasting proposals for a proposed cut in the number of hours of locally-produced output.

The station was planning to axe about a third of its 118-strong TV division. Some journalists have already announced plans to take a redundancy package.