Could the likely changes to STV News eventually have implications for local advertisers?
It’s a question which has not been discussed in the row surrounding the station’s plans.
Ofcom is due to say in the next few weeks whether to allow STV to cut the separate service for the old Grampian region.
The row over this change has been intense.
But STV also wants to cut the two current sub-opts – those for the areas served by the Craigkelly transmitter which covers Edinburgh and the Angus transmitter near Dundee.
Whatever might happen, there would seem to be little chance of a reprieve for them.
The current proposal – which Ofcom has said it is likely to approve – would see most news output go out across both STV’s franchise areas.
But there’d be a 9 minute recorded sub-opt for the Grampian area during the 6pm programme.
In itself, this does not affect STV’s service to local advertisers. For about 25 years, it’s had 4 micro-regions. They match the current news regions but predate them.
STV has, however, mentioned that it hopes to save on distribution costs if the news changes go through.
As the station uses gifted space on Freeview, this surely refers to satellite distribution.
Only one of STV’s HD regions is on the group of multiplexes used by ITV 1. Its other three regions are on space hired elsewhere.
Indeed the Dundee and Edinburgh HD regions are encrypted. Freesat viewers there get an SD service on channel 103 to ensure they get the correct local news and ads.
Will this be sustainable if Ofcom approves the cuts?
Are two extra HD slots worth it for adverts for Paulo’s chip shop and the independent used tyre specialist? (Well maybe that’s unfair to the ultra local advertisers but whenever I’ve watched they can seem like adverts for the small shop right opposite the cinema.)
Two HD streams would seem enough. And they’d probably be enough to satisfy all the major Scottish advertisers.
The SD streams which would be freed up could be used to bring STV + 1 to satellite. It is currently only on cable and Freeview.
And would the two small advertising sub-regions be viable if they were only on Freeview?
STV has said nothing to imply any changes are likely soon. In any case, presumably there are contracts to honour.
But let’s keep an eye on this.
ITV closed some advertising sub-regions years ago. They now align exactly with its news regions.
The world is a very different place too to the one which existed when these sub-regions were created.
STV’s commitment to advertising sub-regions over the years is commendable.
Small local advertisers have popped up in slots during popular network shows.
If you want to see local businesses get a chance to grow or support a circular economy, these regions have merit.
But will they still make sense should the news changes happen?
Acknowledgements
FEATURE IMAGE:
PICTURED: STV break bumper. COPYRIGHT: STV Group.
Acknowledgements