Farron meets with Border bosses

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 16th Oct 2007

Local MP Tim Farron met today with ITV Executive Chairman Michael Grade, along with a delegation of other MPs from the Border region to discuss ITV's proposal to axe Border TV in favour of broadcasting from Tyne-Tees TV instead. Mr Farron has also tabled a Commons motion in protest against the plans to shut down one of the most popular regional television broadcasters in the country.

After the meeting, Tim Farron said:

"Programmes such as Lookaround are the most watched in the country and it seems lunacy to throw away that commercial value. These proposals show how detached the London-based bosses of ITV are from the regions.

"For people in this area to get their news from Newcastle is nonsense, whilst it is a lovely place it has little relevance here. The proposals are entirely based on saving money, but the shortfall could be made up by better commercial use of Border TV."