UTV ISSUE PROGRAMME STATEMENT

UTV have issued their Regional Programme Statement which forms part of the new procedure introduced by the Independent Television Commission (ITC).
The Statement covers a two year period, and it sets out how UTV plans to produce a regional programme schedule of high quality which covers the diverse range of subject matter required to interest their viewers.
The statement sets out their broad programme policy, and outlines their objectives in news, current affairs and the wide range of their other regional programmes in 2001 and 2002.
UTV will broadcast more than 650 hours of regional programmes each year including news, current affairs, documentaries and entertainment series as well as sports, children's, arts and religious programmes.
UTV have increased their news gathering capacity, and will use their new Foyle studio, their satellite uplink facility and ‘feeds’ from local, national and international locations to deliver fast, reliable up-to-date news.
‘UTV Live at Six’ will continue as the weekday teatime news programme. It will also include sport, the arts, health and education reports as well as contributions from national and international locations.
UTV will extend and enhance the subtitling of news and will provide appropriate support information for news and features programming on their website and through other media.
In their arts programming they will continue to produce their successful ‘UTV School Choir of the Year Awards’ and they will follow the progress of their ‘Young Artist of the Year Awards’.
UTV plans to submit a range of proposals to the ITV Network including news, current affairs, documentaries, children's entertainment and religious programming. They are partners in the consortium which will tender for the ITV network news contract.
In 2001 UTV will invest around £1m in technical equipment. The major project will be the move of their Central Technical Area (CTA) to an extensive custom-built facility. The new CTA will have a digital infrastructure. Comprehensive test and monitoring facilities will be fully integrated to provide a programme service of the highest technical quality.
For more information on the Programme Statement visit their website at www.utv.co.uk. (CD)