Government reply to the Save YTV Campaign

Labour have responded to the campaign to ‘Save Yorkshire Television’ several months too late as the staff have already been sacked and production moved.

 

 

In March this year ‘ITVplc’ announced that they would be ceasing network production at the Yorkshire Television studios in Leeds. It wasn’t long before a campaign was started to save the YTV complex, jobs and productions.

 

A petition was submitted by Aqila Choudhry of Leeds North East Liberal Democrat PPC to 10 Downing Street containing nearly 2,000 signatures collected over three months. Choudhry stated:

 

“ITV Plc has announced cuts in production that will remove almost all drama and other productions from the Yorkshire Television studios in Leeds with the loss of 400 jobs directly and perhaps thousands of others in associated creative industry. We… …petition the Prime Minister to save jobs in the creative industries in the Leeds city region by acting urgently to save Yorkshire Television.”

 

Today the Government responded to the YTV campaign with the usual expected response.

 

“The Government supports television production in the nations and regions outside London. However, the fulfillment of ITV’s obligations on regional broadcasting is a matter for ITV and the independent communications regulator, Ofcom. Accordingly, there is no provision for Government to intervene.

“The Government is fully aware of the difficult economic circumstances in which commercial broadcasters are operating. However, it believes that ITV’s out of London production obligation will continue to be an important element of ITV’s public service contribution.”

 

The axed staff left Yorkshire Television, re-branded as ITV Yorkshire by ITVplc, for the final time in July this year.