LEADERS OF the main political parties at Stormont have signed a petition calling for UTV to re-examine its proposals to cut back on costs, staffing and news output.
The leaders of the Ulster Unionists, the DUP, SDLP, Sinn Féin, Alliance and Progressive Unionists co-signed a letter calling on UTV to halt its plans to cut expenditure pending the outcome of consultation. They said they "fully understood the economic pressures UTV finds itself under" but added: "We think it reasonable that UTV should halt its plans to allow for those discussions to go ahead and also for the completion of the Ofcom [Office of Communications] consultation and final report."
UTV's decision to move ahead with its cutbacks may mean the cuts will have been completed before the consultation has reached meaningful conclusions.