STV has welcomed Ofcom’s suggestions of changes to be made to its news in southern Scotland.

The media watchdog endorsed plans to merge the Border and Tyne Tees area and broadcast one single regional weekday bulletin for both areas.

It also recommended a new way to be found to fund the new broadcast throughout Scotland.

The report stated: "To maintain the future of regional news in southern Scotland, Border and Tyne Tees areas will be served by a single regional main weekday bulletin.

"ITV has now pledged to maintain, within a revamped Look around programme, a specific local bulletin broadcast at 6pm and 10.30pm for audiences in southern Scotland." A spokesperson for STV, said: “We welcome Ofcom’s report, which is a positive set of recommendations for Scottish viewers and STV.

“The report demonstrates that Ofcom recognises the pressures facing commercial public service broadcasters and the need to modernise the current system. We are pleased that they highlighted STV’s contribution in providing plurality and much valued high quality news and programming.

“We also welcome Ofcom’s recognition that the needs of each of the UK’s nations are different and there is unlikely to be a single solution that fully meets the needs of each of the three devolved nations.”

The spokesperson concluded: “The short term changes will help facilitate STV’s ambitions and vision for the future. We remain committed to providing public service broadcasting as part of the Channel Three network going forward within a more sustainable framework.”