Asked if regional programming would eventually be reduced to just news, Mr Grade said he expected that would happen "in time".

But he insisted that ITV's regional identity was a huge strength that must be preserved

Hello Michael

So regional news will not go the same way as children’s programming on the ITV network. Although Press Gazette has you holding out your hand to the taxpayer for £100 million a year to make it happen

Old BBC habits die hard eh Michael

Even I could make a business work with public subsidy on such a scale as part of my plan

But you are right

Regional identity is a huge strength and one you are currently underplaying

In no single region in England are you beating the BBC at 6.30 with your own local news

Not one

And look at the figures on Wednesday, black Wednesday for BBC1. Its regional news was the most watched programme on the channel with 5.3 million viewers

Let me translate that into ITVese for you. It’s an average Bill rating. Worth having

So what’s going wrong

Branding

You simply don’t have a regional strategy for ITV

What you have is a studio design strategy. (And, I’ll admit, an impressive local broadband strategy. Sadly only a handful of us get excited about the way programmes are transmitted)

But oh the shows

You have a nationally branded, one size fits all, mini Mark and Mary, showcases for local crime and delinquency where only the addresses and the names of the perpetrator differs from one part of the country to the next

Add in a veneer of show-biz, sub GMTV, to dispel the doom and gloom and ...oh lets not forget the competitions - again sub GMTV and ....

Guess what - it’s not working

The fact that the BBC’s offerings are not a whole lot better should be cause for optimism

And a plan

And ambition

Make regional TV really regional. Make it look and sound different everywhere. Produce news magazine programmes

Let the regions be live and alive. And Michael - let them have a laugh

Time for a reality check. The YouTube /ugc phenomena that’s got us all in a tizzy is driven by generally sub standard ‘I made this one at home’ or I’m a media school student stuff. So audiences are hardly expecting Hollywood blockbusters down their copper wires

And it will pass

Look at Current TV. I bet you have. It’s hardly what the world’s been waiting for. Good luck to it but it’s not the competition

Very little of our current revolution in TV is very good

What is good is the huge, unbridled enthusiasm for self expression and curiosity it’s released. And it’s local

We are flea eating, back scratching, baboons with a huge evolutionary history of sizing up ourselves and our neighbours

People want to see themselves in the papers and on TV. They don’t necessarily want to do it themselves. So connect with the people (E M Forster moment over)

Michael regionalise with a vengeance

And take risks

Local news, local variety shows. Local personalities. Cherry pick the best for national syndication

Top tip: Steal Peter Levy from BBC Look North. He’s the new Russell Harty

Television is not a product like soap where marketing and scientists lead. It is a living organic thing. It’s not a product discovered once and then defended against all comers. The accountants have tried that with ITV. It has to be mined every day

Oh I’ve left the most important question until last

How do you make money?

Pricing and imagination

The costs of production have never been cheaper

Local pricing local imagination

As Jon Stewart says here’s your moment of Zen: Whales live off plankton. Chase the small fish. It’s what regional TV is all about

Warmest regards

Steve