“If we go ahead with our vision of local TV, the scale of what we offer will be limited…Editorially it would aim to complement the market…There would be particular focus, for instance, on local democracy and community issues…The BBC’s local TV is intended to enrich our current local offering, represented by local radio in England by our Where I Live sites across the UK.” [Press Gazette]

Don’t just judge Mark Thompson by this downbeat sell to the Society of Editors. Go and look at the reality of BBC local coverage. Check out, for example, the BBC’s local service to the British Crown dependency that is the Isle of Man, population 75,000. How local can you get?

Now compare it with the website for Roanoke in Virginia, population 94,000. It’s parent company is Landmark Communications who, among other things, own the Weather Channel.

Me, I prefer the private enterprise product…

So is Thompson’s speech:

1) an enlightened offer to engage with the regional press?
2) an attempt to buy off criticism as the BBC faces a market impact assessment?