THE head of STV should be hauled before a Westminster committee to answer over expected job losses, an MP has demanded.
LibDem MP Susan Murray has called for the Scottish Affairs Committee to summon Rufus Radcliffe as he prepares to cut loose 60 members of staff.
In a letter to committee chair Patricia Ferguson, Murray said: “I was disappointed to hear that STV are planning job cuts as well as discussing removing regional STV news programmes.
"This is especially unwelcome news because for the past three years STV has paid out more than £5m a year in dividends to shareholders, yet cuts are on the cards.”
The cuts, which amount to 10% of its workforce, are part of a plan to save £3 million by the end of next year.
The broadcaster will axe its central belt and north of Scotland news programmes, which will be replaced with a single programme presented from Glasgow.
Murray (above) added: “People want to know what is happening in their area, not rely on a one size fits all model.
“What's more, in an election year in particular, it is essential that failing governments are held to account.
“I understand that STV staff are concerned for their jobs but also for the organisation's ability to maintain the quality coverage for which they are known across the whole of Scotland.
“I hope that the committee will accept my request and the chief executive will be summoned to account for these decisions.”
Ferguson was approached for comment.
There is widespread concern about the plans in Holyrood and last week’s First Minister’s Questions saw John Swinney field a number of questions about the plans.
The First Minister (below) said that the Scottish Government would “engage” with the broadcaster and trade unions at STV and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has indicted to a Holyrood committee he would also speak with Ofcom.
The plans must be cleared with the broadcast regulator and it has been announced that a redundancy consultation will be carried out.
Asked about plans to axe STV’s Aberdeen news programme, Swinney said: “I understand one of the components of the STV proposals is that the Aberdeen news programme would potentially cease broadcasting.
“I do acknowledge that there are very different issues that affect communities around the country, and STV are very successful to reflecting those different issues in different parts of the country.”
Radcliffe has previously blamed "difficult trading conditions in the advertising and content commissioning markets" and "a structural change in viewing habits" for the move to cut costs.
