Sky News has outlined its intention to move into regional media amid claims it is exploring the launch of its own local news service.
The company says it is working with both Ofcom and the government “to support the evolution of local news in the UK” following reports it has been lobbying the media watchdog to open up local news to new competition.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Sky is developing plans for Sky News Local, which would offer bulletins and in-depth online coverage for the nations and regions.
The company says it wants to reach audiences that it claims are “underserved” by the current regional broadcast news duopoly between the BBC and ITV.
The move comes ahead of Ofcom launching a review of public service broadcasting next month.
The Telegraph claims Sky has argued in private meetings with the regulator that regional news and other public service obligations could be separated from traditional broadcasting.
This could mean the introduction of a new regulatory framework for local news coverage based on competitive bidding, with Sky going head-to-head with ITV to provide the commercial opposition to the BBC.
Sources told the Telegraph the Sky News Local plan was at an early stage and any investment would depend on “genuine regulatory reform”.
A Sky spokesman said: “Viewers want to see more local stories from their communities – we proved that with our election coverage on Sky News, which was available for free in every home and on our digital channels.
“We will work with both Ofcom and government to support the evolution of local news in the UK, helping to reach audiences that are underserved by the current system.”
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@User Generate Content: if you think BBC and ITV produce regional bulletins simply by lifting copy from the local press, you haven’t read many local papers recently.
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I doubt they’d want to lift any content from my local daily or weekly papers @UGC
dearly me, it’s grim up east
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It is truly astonishing how quickly any topic on this site degenerates into a slagging off session from bitter old hacks about how crap local newspapers are these days. Norfolk n Good, From The Word: You should get together. You can bore each other to tears and spare the rest of us from your grim, repetitive bleatings. Merry Christmas!
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Years ago people like Meridian paid for stringers on local papers to feed them copy. But I do fear for local papers if this comes off. They are going to have to start getting local again instead of bunging in any old generic filler .
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They’ll probably hand a load of cash to local news charities Reach PLC and Archant so they can investigate how to provide local news to underserved communities like Peterborough. I hope so as it would make a heartwarming Christmas tale.
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@hyperspace
That did make me laugh ,however be careful what you wish for as Google gave millions to come up with a way to make on line news pay to someone who’s gone on record saying it’s nigh on impossible to make on- line news pay.
Trust me,after the complete train wreck that Archant made of their godawful attempt at local broadcast media; ‘Mustard tv’ losing around a million whilst all the while twittering on about how great it was, they’d be the last group to give any more money to
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May I suggest using UGC and Norfolk n’ Good, aka Statler and Waldorf , as new presenters for Sky local.
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in 2012 Sky trialled Sky Tyne & Wear – a local (hyperlocal relative to the rest of the operation) news and sport video website staffed by experienced and trainee journalists. It was actually pretty good with loads of original content, professionally shot and edited into a compelling package that attracted a decent following. I’m not sure ad revenue vs costs met Sky’s expectations and the operation was shut without notice in December 2013, with 15 redundancies. A shame, because the mould was well and truly broken.
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Someone’s touched JimmyMacs nerve!
Maybe the point about content is a bit too close to home?
When publishers are closing district offices and pulling back from local communities and their once loyal readers,they shouldn’t be at all surprised if the public turn their backs on them once another local news provider comes along be they hyper local print publications or bigger broadcast media operating on a hyper local level, and if they believe their own content is high quality and locally relevant then they’ve nothing to fear, the public will decide and vote with their feet.
Competitions good, embrace it ‘Matey’
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