Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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2003 (and previous) press releases
Keep Our News Local
Local MP, Norman Baker today criticised proposals by Granada-owed Meridian TV to cut back its expenditure on local news by scaling down its regional news office in Maidstone and relocating it outside the region it serves.
Should these proposals go ahead, the bulk of the Maidstone office will be moved to a combined news centre near Southampton serving the areas formerly covered by regional operations in Maidstone, Southampton and Newbury.
Speaking about the proposed merger, Norman says:
"I am completely opposed to this suggested reduction in service - relocating the news operation outside of the region would only distance it from the people who are really in touch with issues of local concern. The fact that Meridian Tonight has the highest viewing figures for any regional news programme shows how important it is to people that they have a truly local news programme that covers issues directly relating to their everyday concerns, and how much they value the present arrangement. There can be no possible justification for altering a winning formula except to save money."
"I feel strongly that a move away from the heart of the South East would have a detrimental effect on the service. Whilst Granada says that this won't happen I would like to know how they're going to achieve this when it's clearly impossible to deliver the same level of service by running it from a news centre outside the region.
"I have written to Lindsay Charlton, Managing Director of Meridian, calling upon them and Granada to make a clear statement that this reduction in service will not go ahead and to give an assurance that the region will continue to receive the quality of news broadcasting that it deserves."
And he warned: "ITV has privileged access to variable spectrum because it is seen as a public service broadcaster, a reputation largely due to regional news coverage. But it cannot expect the privileges if it doesn't deliver the goods."