BBC pledges better local news and regional coverage

Published on Friday 31 July 2009 22:18

THE BBC is to increase its local news coverage, with more bulletins at weekends and improved coverage at breakfast and in the late evening.

The corporation pledged to produce more "landmark" factual programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and an annual "state of the nation/region" journalism initiative in each nation and region of the UK.

The plans, which were announced yesterday, will cost nearly 50 million over the next four years. They come after the governing body rejected proposals for an on-demand local video news service.

In February, after serious objections from commercial media organisations, the BBC Trust ruled the proposed service would damage the market and be of limited public value.

The trust approved yesterday's plans, because it said they built on existing services and would improve regional radio and television output.

Diane Coyle, a member of the BBC Trust board and chairwoman of its public value and fair trading committee, said a close eye would be kept on broadcasts to ensure services improved.

"Existing local television and radio services will be enhanced by initiatives, such as substantial improvements to news coverage, and additional funding for local factual programming in the devolved nations," she said.

"The trust believes that this will allow the BBC to meet its public purposes and help close the gap between the importance that audiences attach to the BBC's local role and their view of its current performance."

The BBC said the cost of the changes would be met through efficiency savings.