Double boost for North-east TV partners

Feb 3 2010 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

A BID by the publishers of the Evening Gazette to take over the regional TV news has been strengthened by the appointment of two leading figures in the television industry.

Nigel Dacre, former editor of ITV News, and Tom Gutteridge, founder of one of the first independent TV production companies, Mentorn, have joined forces with the Gazette’s parent company Trinity Mirror, the Press Association and Bob Geldof’s production company Ten Alps.

They hope to produce regional news broadcasts to replace ITV’s news service in the North-east.

It was announced in January the consortium had made it through to the second phase of the bid.

Alex Connock, chief executive of production company Ten Alps, said: “We are really privileged to be working with both of these executives.

“Nigel has a superb understanding of both live news and multi-platform and we have worked together successfully a great deal in the past.

“Meanwhile we have wanted to work with Tom on creating popular factual TV programme formats for at least a decade, and this is the perfect opportunity.

“As well as living in Northumberland, Tom also has the North-east in his DNA, which is an enormous plus.”

Since ITV’s decision to withdraw from providing regional news, the Government is planning to run three pilot schemes in Wales, Scotland and Tyne Tees/Borders.

A group of companies will be funded by the Government to provide news across a number of different platforms, including the television slot currently occupied by ITV regional news.

Each bid will be discussed by an independent panel of media experts when they visit Newcastle on Friday.

The Trinity Mirror consortium also includes Teesside University, Newcastle College and the CN Group, which owns a number of local papers in Cumbria and Northumberland.

Also in the running is a group led by ITN, which includes staff who currently work for Tyne Tees, Johnston Press, Metro Radio and Sunderland University.

The third bidder is Ulster Television.