Statement published 1 June 2026
This Statement sets out Ofcom's decisions on STV's request to change its regional programming commitments.
Trusted and accurate news remains highly valued and the lifeblood of a healthy democracy but viewing habits of UK audiences have changed. Individuals are consuming more news through websites, apps, or social media while viewing of news on traditional television is in decline. In response, the UK’s public service broadcasters (“PSBs”) must evolve their news strategies to address audience need while still fulfilling their linear licence obligations.
It is in this context that STV requested to make changes to the licence conditions relating to its regional news requirements. Viewing to STV News at Six declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2025, while audiences are increasingly engaging with STV News online. As a wider business, STV is facing financial challenges which may affect its ability to deliver Public Service Media (“PSM”) content, as seen in its 2025 results and broader outlook for 2026. Given the importance of regional news to audiences, STV told us it is seeking to put its regional news provision on a sustainable footing going forward.
What we have decided – in brief
We will accept STV’s requests to:
- Share up to 70% of material in its 6pm weekday programmes, STV News at Six, where it is of particular relevance to audiences in both licence areas, with the rest of the material to remain bespoke for each region;
- Extend the current permission to share news programming at the weekend to all news programming outside of peak viewing times, where it is of particular interest to audiences in both regions; and
- Remove the requirement to provide five minutes of sub-regional opts (“the opts”) in the 6pm news programmes in each licence.
To read the Statement in full, please download the document below.
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