The Guardian is reporting today that the Government is going to make an extra £7 million available for the regional news pilots for ITV which are due to start later this year – proof perhaps that Ministers are now becoming aware of the challenges facing any broadcaster wanting to provide comprehensive local and regional news.

Regional news plays an important role in the lives of millions of people who want more than the perceived metropolitan focus of that national news bulletins provide. The fact that all the major news organisations have ‘North of England’ correspondents and are based in London (the organisations not the North of England Correspondents) does little to help counter the view that the London media is London biased. I know through personal experience that national broadcasters work hard to represent the regions in their coverage and very often it’s with the help of their regional colleagues.

What is true, however, is that regional news (of the type that’s not on the BBC) needs help and it’s important that there is a plurality of outputs. As the world, as viewed by the media, becomes smaller, I feel sure that there is a desire to know what’s happening just around the corner as well as on the other side of the world. Let’s just hope that the new focus on regional coverage will result in a service that’s local, available across a number of platforms and above all, relevant.