Business
Ofcom approval of changes to Channel 3 licences
STV Group PLC has received approval from Ofcom to amend its Channel 3 licences concerning news content, specifically for its flagship programme, STV News at 6. These changes, the first in twenty years, will allow STV to produce two versions of STV News at 6, with up to 70% shared content across Scotland and a minimum of 30% bespoke regional sections for the north and central areas, reflecting significant shifts in audience viewing behaviour towards digital platforms. The company will also expand its digital news service while maintaining newsgathering resources across Scotland and key Westminster and Holyrood locations, ensuring a sustainable and modern news service. Disclaimer*
About this update from Stv Group Plc
Monday 1 June STV WELCOMES OFCOM APPROVAL OF CHANGES TO ITS CHANNEL 3 LICENCES · STV will produce two new STV News at 6 programmes with shared content and bespoke regional sections · Trusted news will continue to be delivered from reporters across Scotland · STV will expand its fast-growing digital news service · Changes made in response to major shifts in viewing behaviour · Approval enables STV to deliver a sustainable, progressive, modern news service STV welcomes Ofcom's approval of its application to amend its Public Service Media (PSM) Channel 3 licences around news content, in particular flagship programme, STV News at 6. As a result of these changes to news commitments, the first in twenty years, the broadcaster will continue serving its audiences with high-quality regional news, gathered and produced across Scotland, in a way that is sustainable for the business. At its heart, the approval extends the scope for STV to share content across the north and central regions, alongside the production of bespoke regional sections, creating new and updated versions of STV News at 6. STV's application was submitted in response to significant, long-term changes in the way audiences consume news, with linear audiences declining alongside a growth in engagement with online and social content throughout the day. These shifts in audience behaviour are impacting all broadcasters, and the changes to STV's Channel 3 licences reflect the acute challenges presented in Ofcom's research and call for action in the sector in its report, Transmission Critical: The future of Public Service Media. STV now plans to implement changes to its news programming in the summer: · STV will create two versions of STV News at 6 · STV News at 6 programmes will include a shared section broadcast by both licences (a maximum of 70% of programmes' duration) featuring stories of interest across Scotland with contributions from reporters around the country, plus separate sections with content specific to each of the north and central areas (a minimum of 30% of the programmes) · Newsgathering resources will remain on the ground at all existing sites in Invernes...