Back in September (see http://www.dundeewestend.com/2008/09/future-of-scottish-public-broadcasting.html) I lamented the impending demise of Border TV, with Ofcom appearing to accept that the ITV proposed merger between Border and Tyne Tees news should go ahead.As I said at the time,
"For ITV, of course, read ITV England and Wales, and the suggestion of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway getting its 'local' news from a studio in Gateshead is unacceptable.
No wonder people in the Borders are up in arms about the proposal. Borders LibDem MP Michael Moore said the recommendations were 'made by people stuck in London offices who fail to understand the importance of regional news and diversity.'"
So, it is good to see the people of the Borders fight back by moving forward with their own local television provision. Last weekend, the Herald covered the news that,
"When the analogue television transmitter in Selkirk was turned off last week, there was one local group with a better reason than most to celebrate the change to completely digital television.
And that was the small group of Borderers that plans to take the free signal, or spectrum, cleared up by the death of analogue television and use it to set up its own television station.
... rather than be left in the lurch with a second-class service - and driven on by the fact that the region has just seen the very first of all the analogue transmitter turn-offs as the UK moves towards complete digital television in 2012 - a group of local people has decided it can do the broadcasting job perfectly well itself.
Alasdair Hutton, Convener of the Scottish Borders Council - and head of the local television steering group - said it has received a warm response from the Westminster secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Andy Burnham. He said he has also had meetings with the head of Ofcom Scotland, Vicki Nash, and has received an equally enthusiastic response from the regulator."
You can read the full article by clicking on the headline above.
Here in Tayside & Fife, we have a similar local TV campaign, in which I have taken an active part (see www.fifetaysidelocaltv.com) and I am delighted to see progress in the Borders. The switch to digital provides a unique opportunity for the future of local television output and I hope the opportunity is not missed.