TV regulator Ofcom has approved the axing of north news programs at STV HQ in Aberdeen, a change that is the first of its kind in over two decades.
Going forward, STV Glasgow and STV North will be a combined news program, which will cover both north and central regions. From summer 2026, STV is to produce two versions of STV News at six – both presented from the Glasgow studio.
In terms of programming differences, while the main 6 pm programme is now produced and presented from Glasgow, STV will still allocate at least a third of the broadcast to regionally specific content.
The West Tullos studio in Craigshaw Business Park remains open, with STV retaining a team of journalists on the ground to gather local news stories.
STV has claimed the approval will allow them to continue to serve viewers with “high quality” national and regional news in a way that is sustainable.
The change highlights a broader, long-term decrease in TV viewing numbers and a decline in revenue from advertising. STV’s chief executive officer Rufus Radcliffe said the company had to respond to the “significant shift” in audience behavior.
The Gaudie understands STV’s teams will continue to work in offices across the country, and the Aberdeen studio will still be “regular in use”.
The transition also brings about controversial job cuts across the newsroom.
A significant number of redundancies were mitigated through voluntary schemes and redeployment. While it was originally thought that approximately 60 jobs were to be cut, 30 of which were in news. However, revised plans have revealed that a smaller number of staff remain at risk of compulsory redundancy.
This comes following an announcement by STV in September which included a plan to deliver 2.5m in annual savings in response to a decrease in revenue in interim financial results
The decision to axe the Aberdeen program follows a drawn-out consultation process as well as opposition from the Scottish government and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Following the announcement, Russell Borthwick, chief executive at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said it was a “sad day for local journalism”:
“Ofcom’s decision is deeply disappointing and flies in the face of overwhelming public opinion across northern Scotland.It is difficult to understand how such clear and emphatic opposition from the communities affected has ultimately been set aside.
Local news matters. It plays a vital role in holding institutions to account, reflecting the experiences of communities and ensuring that the north of Scotland has a strong and distinct voice in the national conversation.” He said.
A poll from the end of last year found 83% reject STV’s plans to scrap local news services. The survey was of 3,235 people.
The NUJ has claimed the changes were primarily driven by the company’s financial position, questioning its ventures elsewhere, such as investing in a radio station, while making cuts to its main programs.
Speaking in Holyrood, Aberdeen MSP Jack Middleton said:
“At the same time as trying to axe newsrooms in an institution we have trusted for decades, STV launched a commercial radio station at a cost of £500,000.
“It is hard for anyone to argue that sucking money out of the existing business model, while reneging on your obligation to deliver a distinct local news program, is anything other than a poor decision.”
