Aberdeen MSP Jackie Dunbar has urged STV bosses to reverse their plan to axe North of Scotland news programming after company accounts revealed that STV North’s profits rose by nearly 24% last year.
STV prompted an outcry in the north east of Scotland over its intention to shut down its Aberdeen-based news operation and introduce a single programme from Glasgow, with local opt-outs.
The company is expected to cut about 60 staff to save £3 million after blaming weaker commissioning and falling advertising for a half-year loss.
Ms Dunbar, who has been campaigning against the changes, said the 2024 accounts for STV North showed that its pre-tax profits rose to £9.3 million in 2024 (2023: restated £7.5m).
The accounts say this increase was “driven by the increase in linear advertising revenue and close cost control”.
The accounts were filed on 24 October, the day after STV chief executive Rufus Radcliffe defended the planned cuts to MPs at Westminster. He told the Scottish Affairs Committee that falling advertising revenues were partly to blame for the cuts to regional news bulletins and journalism jobs.
Previously he had also cited “falling viewing figures” as a reason for making the cuts but when pressed on the issue by MPs, he was unable to provide any viewing figures for STV North.
The accounts do reference the potential risk to the business from market factors as part of a three-year plan to 31 December 2027. They warn that “a severe but plausible downs?de scenario was identified that reflected crystallisation of several risks, principally in relation to advertising revenues and the number and scale of programme commissions antic?pated to be won and delivered in the period.”
This outcome was confirmed in the statement last month when the company announced it had slipped to a £200,000 half-year loss before tax (2024: profit of £4.8m) as total advertising revenue fell 10% to £45.6m (2024: £50.7m), driven by a 16% fall in national linear advertising.
Ms Dunbar who represents Aberdeen Donside, insisted the company was not coming clean on its situation.
She said: “STV bosses attempted to justify slashing jobs and cutting regional news programmes by blaming falling viewer figures and advertising revenues.
“Yet they couldn’t provide any details on viewing figures and now we learn that STV North’s profits rose significantly last year on the back of increased income from advertising. The more we hear about these proposed cuts, the more they don’t make any sense.
“Communities in the North of Scotland have a long-held affection for STV News, as they had for Grampian before it, because of its regional-focus which they don’t get from other broadcasters.
“At a time when trusted local news sources are more important than ever, STV is set to abandon one of its success stories, which it should be building on, for no good reason.
“STV bosses will have seen the strength of feeling around this from the public in North-East. It’s high time that they listen to the public, admit that they have got this disastrously wrong and change course.”
Ms Dunbar’s comments came as STV’s former political editor, Bernard Ponsonby, said the company had no future and predicted the current savings round was “just the start”.
“It’s all rather depressing given that it’s a company I had an association with for 34 years. I don’t think STV has a future, simple as that,” he said on a podcast.
“You have the perfect storm. Your turnover is down, your profits are down, your advertising from linear advertising is down, and your ability to make money for making programs for other broadcasters is down as well.”
STV has been contacted for comment.
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