I was interested to hear that ITV is reducing its regional presence to focus on national series and dramas that have a closed content. Michael Grade has obviously learnt from his time at the BEEB that a sucessful series, such as Top Gear, can make serious money around the English speaking world in sell-on rights alone.

However, I question its judgment of ignoring local audiences for news services.  Obviously, it is  up against the huge infrastructure of the BBC and its local newsservices such as BBC Points West and to some extent BBC Radio Gloucester / Bristol etc.  Perhaps it would have been better instead to steal a march on the BBC as it too looks for local office savings, due to cuts in the increase for the licence fee?

I believe that the move may alienate many sub regions of the South West, such as Cornwall for instance. How can you develop balanced content that incorporates the needs of the two "regional capitals" of the South West - Plymouth and Bristol?  And there are some Cornish who can't bring themselves to be associated with those on the other side of the Tamar Bridge!

The programming will include short recorded local sections, with additional sub regional content.   But I would have thought that the relevance of the news bulletins will inevitably decrease.

This may be a cute move by Michael, due to the onslaught of the internet becoming a major force in news delivery, but I believe there is still a need for a sub regional approach to the South West region. 

Matt is on holiday in La Rochelle in France now until the 24th of Sept..... he will be making sandcastles with his son and also sampling the odd glass of local "Vin" along with some fantastic seafood.....

While Matt is away, he spotted an article in PR Week regarding  at least six of the top ten PR agenices in the UK being warned by Wikipedia for dubious edits. For the record those caught out were FD, Weber Shandwick, Hill & Knowlton, Freud Communications and someone at Finsbury changing Anne Diamond's profile.... (why!?)

Montage asks "Should PR agencies be allowed to make changes?" We already write all the press materials and blogs for our clients so why not Wikipedia? Our feeling is that as long as what you are writing is not misleading or under the auspice of "astroturfing" (practice of creating false grass roots support) then why not, isn't it just another form of media?

Northcliffe has recently launched an online business publication called - www.Business-i.co.uk. This is going to be "strategically" promoted on the www.Thisis network of sites that cover online content on behalf of:

• Bristol Evening Post
• Western Daily Press
• Bath Chronicle
• Gloucester Citizen
• Gloucestershire Echo

It claims to have an online readership of 665,000 which stems from the huge increase of 63% of visitors to the Northcliffe regional websites, since last year, such as www.thisisbristol.co.uk for the Bristol Evening Post.

The Montage team are over the moon with the coverage that we secured on behalf of YFM Group on pages 13, 15 and 32!

The format and "high brow" business tone have been well received so far by the business community and certainly reinforces the trend of Northcliffe beefing up its online presence.

For information the visits to the websites that promote the online e-magazine see below: