In the wake of STV’s plan to cut 60 jobs and axe its north of Scotland television news programme as part of a £2.5m cost-saving drive, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has written to STV, Ofcom and both UK and Scottish Governments expressing “deep concenr and disappointment” at the loss of a dedicated north service.
The broadcaster currently provides two regional news services – one from Glasgow and another from Aberdeen. Under the new plan, coverage will be merged into a single Scotland-wide programme presented from Glasgow, incorporating reports from across the country. The changes require Ofcom approval.
The move follows a £200,000 loss in the first half of 2025 and falling advertising revenues.
AGCC Chief Executive Russell Borthwick warned the move risks “silencing the voice of the North-east at a critical time” when issues such as energy transition and the future of the North Sea are of national importance.
Scottish Conservative North East MSP Douglas Lumsden also condemned the move, and hoped to raise the issue in parliament. He said:
“This devastating announcement marks a dark day for regional news across the North and North East of Scotland.
“The STV North bulletin, formally Grampian TV, has played a pivotal role in delivering local news that is relevant to rural communities beyond the central belt for more than 60 years.
“It gives Northern Scotland a voice across a range of issues that under these plans, would very much diminish.
“At the heart of this are the staff who work tirelessly to provide quality news across Scotland, and my thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
“The loss of this news programme will be hugely detrimental to the checks and balances of all levels of government.
“I, and my Scottish Conservative colleagues, are appalled at this announcement and will be writing to STV to raise concerns about these changes.”
Lumsden also signed a joint letter along with other Scottish Conservative MPs and MSPs from the North East and Highland and Islands regions of Scotland to STV chief executive Rufus Radcliffe, urging him to reconsider the plans.
The National Union of Journalists branded the cuts “devastating”, while First Minister John Swinney said “sustained media engagement” was vital for democracy and confirmed ministers would engage with STV, Ofcom and unions over the plans.
STV chief executive Rufus Radcliffe said the changes reflect “rapid and fundamental” shifts in how audiences consume news, with linear viewing in decline and digital consumption rising. He insisted the aim was to protect STV’s news service for the future, although data suggests that the STV North News programme regularly attracts huge audience share, often at 40% or above.
The north programme is the last link to Grampian Television, which provided local bulletins from 1961 until it was acquired by STV in 1997. The cuts come amid wider pressures on commercial broadcasters as advertising revenues fall and streaming competition grows.
