Regional TV Should be Publically-funded but Not from the Government

13th July 2023 Dear Readers Regional TV, when it is localised and relevant to a particular area provides a great function for local viewers: Viewers are informed of new job-opportunities in their area, they are warned about violent criminals on the loose in their community, they are warned of dangerous or unpleasant weather or motorway/Continue reading “Regional TV Should be Publically-funded but Not from the Government”

ANOTHER PROLONGED CUMBRIA NEWS DROUGHT- AND THE NORTH- WEST’S GYPSIES ARE SNUBBED FOR FOURTH YEAR RUNNING WITH NO COVERAGE OF APPLEBY FAIR.

11th June 2023 Dear Readers Recently, I travelled to a funeral near Birkenhead, following the death of an elderly in-law of my brother. Whilst I was there I caught the Sunday evening news from BBC1 North West Tonight and it was telling. The most northerly news- feature was that of a nine-year-old child hurt atContinue reading “ANOTHER PROLONGED CUMBRIA NEWS DROUGHT- AND THE NORTH- WEST’S GYPSIES ARE SNUBBED FOR FOURTH YEAR RUNNING WITH NO COVERAGE OF APPLEBY FAIR.”

A New Year- and is ITV Granada Reports starting to cover Cumbria again?

11th January 2023 Dear Readers The New Year, 2023 starts with some signs of promise from our Regional TV broadcast media in North West England, with signs that both BBC1 North West Tonight and ITV1 Granada Reports are actually covering all of North West England better. However, one always has to be a bit waryContinue reading “A New Year- and is ITV Granada Reports starting to cover Cumbria again?”

The Isle of Man should have it’s own TV News- service- with Public funding

22nd November 2022 Dear Readers One of my followers from the Isle of Man on my Website showed me the following reply he received upon emailing that the Isle of Man’s Chief Minister (the equivalent of the UK’s Prime Minister)- about Public funding to set up a bespoke Isle of Man TV service: Dear XXXContinue reading “The Isle of Man should have it’s own TV News- service- with Public funding”

The BBC’s We Are England Series: We Are Not Local!

15th November 2022 Dear Readers During the course of this year, 2022, the BBC has set up a Regional programming series called We Are England. Unlike in the past whereby BBC Regional TV documentaries aligned with the BBC transmission Regions that received BBC1 Regional News, for the BBC1 We Are England series the whole ofContinue reading “The BBC’s We Are England Series: We Are Not Local!”

The Campaign for a Regional TV News-service for Lancashire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man

18th September 2022 Dear Readers The main aims of this Website are to ensure that all viewers of Regional TV who live in Cumbria, Lancashire and the Isle of Man have much more localised and geographic-appropriate Regional TV News-coverage. For viewers in Lancashire and Cumbria that is for a North West England-flavoured Regional TV News-serviceContinue reading “The Campaign for a Regional TV News-service for Lancashire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man”

Across Large Areas of Northern England and Scotland, BBC and ITV Regional TV is unsatisfactory.

8th September 2022 Dear Readers The lack of geographic-appropriate Regional TV, as watch by viewers, affects over six million people living across large swathes of Scotland and northern England, as well as the Isle of Man: It is not just much of northern North West England and the Isle of Man that Regional TV News-Continue reading “Across Large Areas of Northern England and Scotland, BBC and ITV Regional TV is unsatisfactory.”

Pictures of North Cumbrian Platinum Jubilee Celebrations

3rd June 2022 Dear Readers True to form, neither BBC1 North West Tonight, nor ITV1 Granada Reports have featured any Cumbrian celebrations of Her Majesty’s 70th anniversary of her succession to the throne. This is despite the fact that 200,000 Cumbrians live in the north of BBC1 North West’s transmission area and at least 100,000Continue reading “Pictures of North Cumbrian Platinum Jubilee Celebrations”

West Cumbria is very much in North West England and this area should Never get North East England Regional TV News.

24th April 2022 Dear Readers Viewers of Regional Television in places like Keswick, Maryport, Workington and St. Bees Head get their BBC1 Regional news from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and they can watch BBC1 Look North (NE/ Cumbria), at least eighty percent of which is about Tyneside, Teesside, Wearside, County Durham, or North Yorkshire. All of these areasContinue reading “West Cumbria is very much in North West England and this area should Never get North East England Regional TV News.”

As a Country In It’s Own Right, the Isle of Man should have it’s own TV News Service.

13th February 2022 The only “Local” and Rgional TV viewers on the Isle of Man get are ITV1 Granada Reports and BBC1 North West Tonight: These Regional TV News- services cover North West England, (mainly the southern half of it, mind) and have news coverage that is 70 to 80% about Greater Manchester, Cheshire andContinue reading “As a Country In It’s Own Right, the Isle of Man should have it’s own TV News Service.”

New News-Reporter and Weather Presenter standing in- and No Coverage of Cumbria on BBC North West Tonight

7th January 2022 Dear Readers Just two news-items about Lancashire on BBC1 North West Tonight this evening, Friday 7th January. And there was nothing about Cumbria! Mind you, this often happens when the main News- anchor Roger Johnson and Weather-presenter Owain Wyn Evans are away and new metropolitan news-reporters and/ or weather-presenters stand in. TonightContinue reading “New News-Reporter and Weather Presenter standing in- and No Coverage of Cumbria on BBC North West Tonight”

BBC NORTH WEST TONIGHT HAS BETTER SERVED COMMUNITIES IN NORTH LANCASHIRE AND SOUTH CUMBRIA IN RECENT DAYS. BUT THE PROGRAMME NEEDS TO LOOK AFTER ITS MORE NORTHERN VIEWERS WELL PERMANENTLY.

7th December 2021 Dear Readers Happily, BBC1 North West Tonight has been covering Cumbria rather better of late. South Cumbrian viewers of the programme have been treated to extensive coverage of power- cuts across South Cumbria last week. Unfortunately, a number of viewers who were suffering from these power cuts could not watch BBC1 NorthContinue reading “BBC NORTH WEST TONIGHT HAS BETTER SERVED COMMUNITIES IN NORTH LANCASHIRE AND SOUTH CUMBRIA IN RECENT DAYS. BUT THE PROGRAMME NEEDS TO LOOK AFTER ITS MORE NORTHERN VIEWERS WELL PERMANENTLY.”

Regional TV in Cumbria and North Lancashire by 2050. A Worst Case Scenario

20th August 2021 This is a Website that campaigns for better and more geographic- appropriate Regional Television for Cumbria and northern Lancashire- as well as for the Isle of Man. However, there is every possibility that what viewers in northern parts of North West England and on the Isle of Man will end up withContinue reading “Regional TV in Cumbria and North Lancashire by 2050. A Worst Case Scenario”

The Isle of Man needs its own TV News Service

13th August 2021 Viewers of local and Regional Television on the Isle of Man, which is actually a small country in its own right though it is a Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom, get a really raw deal from Television News. They receive ITV1 and BBC1 from the British mainland which provide “Local” andContinue reading “The Isle of Man needs its own TV News Service”

ITV1 Granada Reports should cover all North West England in Statistics or Stop Advertising as Covering the North West

24th July 2021 Over this weekend ITV Granada reported that there were seven death due to youngsters and men drowning whilst swimming in rivers and in the sea in North West England (see here for report: https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2021-07-21/safety-plea-to-heatwave-swimmers-after-teenagers-die-in-the-water) then that a 19 year-old man from Preston, who drowned on the Lancashire coast became the eighth personContinue reading “ITV1 Granada Reports should cover all North West England in Statistics or Stop Advertising as Covering the North West”

ITV Border’s Lookaround covers Cumbria very well, occasionally touches on Lancashire issues. ITV1 Granada- Beware!

12th June 2021 Dear Readers NOT for the first time during the Coronavirus pandemic has ITV1 Border’s flagship Regional News programme Lookaround– which is broadcast to most of Cumbria and to southern Scotland- touched upon developments with regard to rising Covid-19 cases in Lancashire and Greater Manchester in order to warn their loyal Cumbrian viewersContinue reading “ITV Border’s Lookaround covers Cumbria very well, occasionally touches on Lancashire issues. ITV1 Granada- Beware!”

The Prognosis is Clear, ITV1 Border Covers Cumbria A LOT, ITV1 Granada Does Not Cover Cumbria.

2nd June 2021 Updated 14th June 2021 Dear Readers I again watched the three Regional News services that are watched by viewers in different parts of North West England, that ITV1 Border’s Lookaround, BBC1 North West Tonight and ITV1 Granada Reports: Internet and the BBC I-player and ITV Regional news catch-up does make it possibleContinue reading “The Prognosis is Clear, ITV1 Border Covers Cumbria A LOT, ITV1 Granada Does Not Cover Cumbria.”

Cumbria and North Lancashire Community Television

30th May 2021 Dear Readers Regional Television receives proportionally less funding as a share of Britain’s Gross Domestic Product than it did thirty years ago when the only choices of television were BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel 4. Few would deny that the digital age has opened up a wealth of choice of different televisionContinue reading “Cumbria and North Lancashire Community Television”

Travel Times from North Lancashire Call Into Question whether ITV1 Granada Reports is Best for North Lancashire

LANCASTER CASTLE: FROM LANCASTER NORTHERN CUMBRIA IS QUICKER TO GET TO AND MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN THE BIG CITIES OF MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL. THIS CALLS INTO QUESTION WHETHER NORTH WEST REGIONAL NEWS SERVICES ARE LOCALLY APPROPRIATE. Courtesy of Northern_Punkie (Pixabay) 22nd May 2021 Dear Readers The ITV and BBC Regions approaching those that exist today wereContinue reading “Travel Times from North Lancashire Call Into Question whether ITV1 Granada Reports is Best for North Lancashire”

Viewers of Regional Television in South Cumbria Don’t Get the Cumbria- focussed Regional News

May 2021 Dear Readers If you live on the Furness Peninsula, just south and south-west of Kendal or near the Duddon estuary you have a choice of two main Regional Television News- services. One of them is BBC1 North West Tonight and the other is ITV1 Granada Reports. Neither serve these areas of South CumbriaContinue reading “Viewers of Regional Television in South Cumbria Don’t Get the Cumbria- focussed Regional News”

Back to Basics: What Purpose is Regional Television supposed to serve?

10th January 2021 Dear Readers First of all, a Happy new Year to all readers of this Website and viewers of Regional Television, whether you live in Cumbria, Lancashire or the Isle of Man. May this year, 2021, indeed be a much happier and enjoyable one than the year of restrictions, lockdown and fears aboutContinue reading “Back to Basics: What Purpose is Regional Television supposed to serve?”

BBC North West Tonight goes back to being Just Lancastria this Week before Christmas

18th December 2020 Dear Readers, IF EVER the viewers of Regional Television in the northern North West of England and on the Isle of Man at all needed a sharp Reality Check as to how much either ITV1 Granada or BBC North West Tonight covers areas of North West England north of Preston they gotContinue reading “BBC North West Tonight goes back to being Just Lancastria this Week before Christmas”

South Cumbrians and North Lancastrians should abandon ITV Granada Reports- as clearly ITV Granada≠ ITV North West!

13th December 2020 Updated 1st June 2021 Dear Readers Viewers in North West England who live anywhere north of Preston should realise that when it comes to Regional News, ITV Granada≠ ITV North West England and that Granada≠ North West. A look through ITV Granada Reports’ Twitter feed (going back through the last 100 postsContinue reading “South Cumbrians and North Lancastrians should abandon ITV Granada Reports- as clearly ITV Granada≠ ITV North West!”

Three Cumbrian news-features on BBC North West Tonight over last two nights- But Not Northern Cumbria

9th December 2020 Dear Readers Tonight Annabel Tiffin featured a young Saxophonist from Ulverston in South Cumbria on BBC North West Tonight. Last night Roger Johnson showed the Grasmere Primary School outdoor Nativity play- with a twist and the death of Mount Everest climber, Doug Scott, who lived in the Lake District was also featuredContinue reading “Three Cumbrian news-features on BBC North West Tonight over last two nights- But Not Northern Cumbria”

Collaboration between ITV Granada Reports and BBC North West Tonight could mean all parts of North West England gaining better local coverage.

2nd December 2020 Dear Readers Both BBC North West Tonight and ITV Granada Reports cover what are essentially the same transmission areas. Both the two main North West Regional Television News services major on the highly- populated urban areas of Manchester, Liverpool, Salford and surrounding areas but, although BBC North West Tonight covers the NorthContinue reading “Collaboration between ITV Granada Reports and BBC North West Tonight could mean all parts of North West England gaining better local coverage.”

Two news- features about Cumbria on BBC North West Tonight.

13th November 2020 Dear Readers There were TWO news-features about Cumbria on BBC North West Tonight with the outgoing Roger Johnson presenting the programme this evening. The first was a news-item about County Lines drug gangs flooding the streets of Barrow-in-Furness with cocaine and heroin. The second news-feature was about wetlands at a place calledContinue reading “Two news- features about Cumbria on BBC North West Tonight.”

Neither BBC North West Tonight nor ITV Granada have touched Cumbria the last few days. There is a need for Pressure to be Brought to Bear on the North West Television broadcasters.

10th November 2020 Up-dated 16th September 2021 after Government Cabinet re-shuffle Dear Readers BBC North West Tonight is once more having one of it’s “Non-Cumbrian weeks” and ITV Granada has not covered Cumbria for a fortnight. The Isle of Man has also had no coverage and it has all been about Manchester and Liverpool, CheshireContinue reading “Neither BBC North West Tonight nor ITV Granada have touched Cumbria the last few days. There is a need for Pressure to be Brought to Bear on the North West Television broadcasters.”

South Cumbrian and Manx Viewers have a Strategy to Put Pressure on ITV1 Granada and BBC North West to “Up Their Game” for the Northern North West and Isle of Man- or Else!

6th November 2020 Dear Readers, This first week in November was a week that BBC North West Tonight has reverted to Not Covering Cumbria- the only time the county has been mentioned is in Owain Wyn Evans’ Weather-forecast! ITV1 Granada Reports haven’t covered Cumbria either. If ever there was a week to illustrate how poorlyContinue reading “South Cumbrian and Manx Viewers have a Strategy to Put Pressure on ITV1 Granada and BBC North West to “Up Their Game” for the Northern North West and Isle of Man- or Else!”

Even should the Worst Happen in future- and ITV1 Border is mothballed, Cumbrian viewers should be able to find a source of Local Television News

5th November 2020 Updated 15th May 2021 Dear Readers Most of Cumbria today has the option of switching over to the English version of ITV1 Border and to watch the flagship Regional Programme “Lookaround” to get excellent local news- coverage of their county if they don’t like the 85% North East flavoured output from BBCContinue reading “Even should the Worst Happen in future- and ITV1 Border is mothballed, Cumbrian viewers should be able to find a source of Local Television News”

BBC North West is better than ITV Granada for viewers in South Cumbria and North Lancashire, but there’s still a long way to go.

30th October 2020 Dear Readers, For the second night in a row this week Annabel Tiffin covered a Cumbrian news- feature on BBC North West Tonight. Last night there was a feature on beavers being re-introduced to Cumbria after an absence of 500 years. Tellingly, the reporter covered the scheme to reintroduce beavers at theContinue reading “BBC North West is better than ITV Granada for viewers in South Cumbria and North Lancashire, but there’s still a long way to go.”

If their Twitter Tweets are anything to go by ITV Granada Reports Does Not Cover Cumbria- at all!

14th October 2020 Dear Readers Looking through the last 200 tweets on ITV Granada reports’ Twitter feed is illuminating: Not a single mention of Cumbria, just one concerning Lancaster and just four concerning Blackpool. Yet one Twitter post about Coronavirus concerned the Mayor of Sheffield, another discussed Wales (tourists from Coronavirus hot-spots in England notContinue reading “If their Twitter Tweets are anything to go by ITV Granada Reports Does Not Cover Cumbria- at all!”

ITV Granada off-air, so ITV leaves North West Viewers with ITV Calendar (Yorkshire): Neither Granada or BBC North West Tonight have shown Cumbrian News for weeks.

28th September 2020 Dear Readers Another week is getting off to a not-too-promising start for any mention of Cumbria on either BBC North West Tonight or on ITV Granada Reports. There has now been no coverage of the northern half of North West England on either BBC North West Tonight or ITV Granada Reports forContinue reading “ITV Granada off-air, so ITV leaves North West Viewers with ITV Calendar (Yorkshire): Neither Granada or BBC North West Tonight have shown Cumbrian News for weeks.”

From 10th April 2018: A method for BBC North West and ITV Granada to improve coverage.

This is an article I originally penned on 10th April 2018. It serves as a timely reminder today that both BBC North West Tonight and ITV Granada could cover Cumbria and North Lancashire better with some efficient time-management! Dear Readers Both the BBC and ITV Granada in the North West of England can still improveContinue reading “From 10th April 2018: A method for BBC North West and ITV Granada to improve coverage.”

ITV Granada Reports is shocking for any Cumbrians and North Lancastrians who have no alternative Regional News- Not a mention of Cumbria in over a week!

Granada Reports is ITV’s flagship Regional News programme covering North West England and the Isle of Man. For sure the news-reports are undoubtedly popular in Manchester, Liverpool and other conurbations along the River Mersey (where over 60% of the news reported is within a 30-mile radius of such locations) and viewers there warm to LucyContinue reading “ITV Granada Reports is shocking for any Cumbrians and North Lancastrians who have no alternative Regional News- Not a mention of Cumbria in over a week!”

ITV BORDER COULD BE THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF POOR LOCAL NEWS- COVERAGE IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE RESPECTIVE NORTH-WEST AND NORTH-EAST REGIONS.

There are good reasons why both North Lancashire and Northumberland should be transferred to ITV Border. These rural areas of the northern North West and North East England would get better coverage.

If you live in Lancashire, Cumbria, the Isle of Man- or Northumberland and watch Regional Television- Your Views and Feedback are Welcome

I would like to take this opportunity to remind anyone who visits this Website who lives either in the northern two- thirds of North West England, the Isle of Man or indeed Northumberland to share their views on the BBC and ITV Regional Television where they live: Is the Local News where you live reallyContinue reading “If you live in Lancashire, Cumbria, the Isle of Man- or Northumberland and watch Regional Television- Your Views and Feedback are Welcome”

A new BBC North West Region for Lancashire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man

On 27th September 2004 a new BBC Region, BBC Look North (East Yorkshire/ Lincolnshire) with their broadcasting centre based in Hull was born. This new BBC Region was transmitted to East Yorkshire, parts of North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and it catered for a potential 1.5 million viewers. This new BBC Region, whose viewers previously receivedContinue reading “A new BBC North West Region for Lancashire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man”

The BBC could spend much more money on Regional Television in the North West if it was more Efficient.

Dated 17th April 2018 Dear Readers, I stumbled across this article written for The Daily Mail on 14th June 2015: It is entitled “BBC Spends less than half its Cash on Programmes”. It details expenditure for the Accounting Year ending April 2014- this after the BBC was made to cut 20% off expenditure in realContinue reading “The BBC could spend much more money on Regional Television in the North West if it was more Efficient.”