Geldof criticises NI committee

Bob Geldof owns a major production business

Bob Geldof has accused a Westminster committee of "locking out" his production company from talks on the future of regional broadcasting.

The head of digital media organisation, Ten Alps, wants to bid for commercial news broadcasting rights in Northern Ireland if they are put out to tender.

The rights are currently held by UTV and its representatives were present at the meeting of the Northern Ireland Affairs select committee on Wednesday.

The committee denies Mr Geldof's claim.

Mr Geldof made his claims in the Belfast Telegraph, which, along with production company Below the Radar, is one of the partners in his consortium.

He said debate about who would provide news and current affairs on Channel 3 was being stifled.

"You would think that the committee would at least want to investigate the options for the viewing public by hearing them at first hand. But they did not," he said.

"The only potential bidders the MPs heard from in person were those who've already been providing the service for the past 50 years."

"Whether you back our bid to make Northern Ireland news and current affairs or not, it has to be seriously bizarre if the debate is being stifled and this isn't new."

Pilot

The former Boomtown Rats singer also called for Northern Ireland to be included in a regional broadcasting pilot.

"Pilots for the new news and current affairs set up for England, Scotland and Wales - but Northern Ireland is likely to end up with no pilot at all. Which would leave UTV free to continue as it is."

Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs select committee Sir Patrick Cormack rejected allegations that anybody had been "locked out".

"The committee hasn't formally completed taking oral evidence and has received written evidence from Ten Alps/Belfast Telegraph and Screen Northern Ireland, which it has published and which will consider in its final report."

Ten Alps plans to bid for a number of the regional contracts but its plans are most well advanced in Northern Ireland where it bought local production company Below the Radar earlier in 2009.

24-hour news

Below the Radar is already working on an ultra-local TV service in Fermanagh.

Partnerships with local newspapers would form a key part of any bid with video content being shared between the TV business and the newspapers' websites.

The proposal would also involve moving to a rolling 24-hour news approach rather than the 'appointment to view' approach of traditional 6pm regional news bulletins.

Ten Alps are also lobbying for a major change in broadcasting policy, proposing that decisions on suppliers should be taken at local level by a new Northern Ireland broadcast fund rather than by Ofcom.