Every journalist knows how Sunday shifts can be dull.
There might be nothing in the diary and no major events to report.
The cynical hacks who give the profession a bad name may even find themselves hoping for a serious accident, fire or crime.
Luckily that degree of cynicism is not usually found amongst broadcast journalists.
Still Sundays can be quiet days in regional newsrooms.
Often proper planning takes account of this. Sundays can be the perfect day for features and human stories which might be squeezed out during the week.
Since the late 80s, ITV regions have generally provided proper Sunday bulletins – though some were providing them before others. The BBC introduced them in 1995, first in the early evening and later after the News at Ten.
They are vital. Major stories can happen at the weekend – especially in the nations. Planning for quiet weekends is a necessary precaution.
So it is important to ensure these bulletins are not dropped except in the most exceptional of circumstances.
Today there are no regional bulletins on ITV 1. FA Cup coverage runs from 3.30pm until 7pm. There is also no early evening network news.
Some clarity is needed on regulatory requirements.
Should Ofcom require ITV to schedule regional news every day, except on the likes of Christmas Day and Boxing Day?
Or is it ok to to drop the bulletins for scheduling reasons, as long as annual volumes are met?
If ITV believes there is no demand for weekend regional news bulletins it should have the courage to say so. Then it could officially drop them and shift resources elsewhere.
To be fair, the BBC has sometimes dropped its teatime regional news at weekends because of live sport.
On Sundays the late bulletin has still been shown as normal. On Saturdays the sole mid evening bulletin has moved to lunchtime or the late evening.
(Exceptionally the nations have shown unplanned late Saturday bulletins because of major stories.)
But back to ITV.
The regional news is ITV’s principle licence commitment. Indeed local news and current affairs is the only regional commitment in England.
Dropping the bulletin for reasons of expediency does not suggest that the spirit of this commitment is being fully honoured by the company.
Ofcom needs to make sure weekend bulletins are mandatory – except in truly exceptional circumstances.
Or ITV should be allowed to drop them as long as if makes up for this in some other way.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: various ITV regional news programme opening titles. COPYRIGHT: ITV plc.