Progress made on media package for survival of industry

15/04/2009

Yorkshire Forward, Screen Yorkshire & Leeds City Council have continued discussions to progress the recently announced support package for the media industry in response to the closure of ITV - Yorkshire Studios.

Details of the support is being finalised with the help of a number of agencies, who are working together to complement any ITV support activities.  Screen Yorkshire will lead this initiative to ensure this package meets the needs of the industry by supporting aims to;
• Fund skills retraining;
• Provide resources and advice in helping those employees affected start their own business;
• Develop new industry initiatives for existing businesses to be involved with;
• and new initiatives to boost  production levels in the region to generate further freelance work.

Yorkshire Forward, through Screen Yorkshire, has engaged a specialist media consultancy company to conduct an outline feasibility study of the ITV Yorkshire Television Studio Complex building to ensure that all possible future uses of the building are explored. Work is also underway to ensure links to existing initiatives and schemes operated by the Partners and industry bodies are available and specifically explored to support the sector during this difficult time.

Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward comments: “We are working hard to collectively explore a number of opinions and opportunities with expert advisors. Meetings have been held at a senior level with ITV and with Government Ministers to ensure that everything is done to protect the production base here in Yorkshire & Humber. Everyone recognises that the Studio complex, at Kirkstall Road, is held in high regard and with over 40 years of quality television production behind it.

However, any consideration to support this building must explore its future use over the next 40 years, the benefits it could bring to support the sector as well as the wider region and ensure that taxpayers’ money is used in a way that will support jobs in the sector. We know that Yorkshire has the locations and talented crew to build a healthy future as a production base and will be doing all we can to support production levels.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Leona Thompson, Press Manager on 0113 3949589 or email Leona.thompson@yorkshire-forward.com