Lewes MP Norman Baker has welcomed the conclusions of a report by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee which backs criticism by the MP of the proposed closure by Granada of the Meridian news studios in Maidstone.
The report says:
"Clive Jones [Meridian's Managing Director] told us he did not see the plans for Meridian as amounting to a diminution within the region, but that they were rather a consequence of modernisation and the wish to embrace new technology. We are concerned that both the ITC and Ofcom appear to have accepted this glib attempted justification. We are far from reassured in respect of programming both for the Meridian region and for the ITV Network, and believe that Ofcom should be much more vigilant on this issue."
Speaking in the wake of the report's publication, Norman comments:
"Meridian's news studio in Maidstone provides an essential and highly successful service to communities across Kent and Sussex by operating as a genuinely local news service which is based within the region and reports on the issues which affect local people. I simply cannot believe that Meridian will be able to provide the same quality of service if this news is then produced and broadcast from a studio in Hampshire.
"As a public service broadcaster, Granada has a duty to provide quality, comprehensive and frequent local television news. Any failure to do this is a clear breach of its charter. If the people of Sussex and Kent are to continue to enjoy their right to a high-quality local news service then the regulator OFCOM must now take a much more robust line with Granada than it has to date. I welcome the fact that the Culture, Media and Sport Committee have also voiced these concerns - surely now Granada must sit up, tune in to what is being said and give customers what they deserve."
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