MP Michael Moore has expressed concerns over the future of regional news broadcasts in the Borders after the Government selected a consortium with few obvious ties to the south of Scotland as their preferred bidder for the ITV Borders/Tyne Tees franchise.

Officials from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport announced this morning that ‘News 3’, a group consisting of Trinity Mirror, Press Association and independent production firm 10 Alps, has been awarded the contract for a two year local news pilot project in the Borders. Ministers also confirmed that they hope to have the pilots up and running before the end of 2010.

Commenting, Mr Moore said:

‘While today’s announcement is progress of a sort, the long term future of the Government’s proposals remains uncertain.

‘It is strange that the Government has decided to offer this contract to the consortium which on the face of things has least connection with the local area. It is vital that they set out their stall to people in the Borders very soon indeed.

‘Despite the sense of urgency that the Government is trying to inject into these proceedings, it is also clear that little of substance will be achieved before the general election. But that important event should not distract from the urgent need to introduce improvements to the range of local news services available to people in the Borders and the need to achieve some much needed stability.’