Information on Loughborough

Local MP backs East Midlands ITV Services

Posted on 19/10/07
P. Klein

andy reed mp for loughboroughLoughboroughs MP Andy Reed has acted speedily to protect the provision of East Midlands news services that are currently provided by ITV.

Under the new proposals by ITV PLC the present dedicated regional news services would be ended. In its place a single news service which would cover the whole of the Midlands area, from the Welsh borders to Newark and Lincoln.

Andy Reed, after he received representations from the National Union of Journalists, has written to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport about this matter.

Reed told inLoughborough: "its perfectly clear to me that the loss of specifically East Midlands news services, such as is being proposed would be a huge blow. He added "I think its important for people to be able to relate to news and issues which are reasonably close to them. He went onto to add "with all due respect to people living in Wolverhampton and Walsall, theres no connection with people living in Loughborough, Derby and Newark.

Our MP went onto extol the value of East Midlands news services, emphasising how vital it was in ensuring local people had a voice and how it permitted specific communities to sustain a particular identity, all of which could be put in jeopardy if a Midlands wide news service was to ensue.