ITV said today that it would cut a further 430 jobs from its regional news operation, taking the television company's job cuts for the year to around 1,000.

The UK's largest commercial broadcaster said it would begin consulting with employees today over a plan to deliver £40 million of savings in its regional news services, from next year.

The announcement comes days after Ofcom revealed proposals as part of its review of public service broadcasting to allow ITV to drop some regional news bulletins, reduce regional programming by 50 per cent and cut back on some current affairs programmes.

ITV wants to rationalise news bulletins in the England and Scottish Borders region from 17 separate programmes to nine.

A letter sent to ITV News Group employees across the country said current staffing levels of 1,075 would be reduced to 646, a cut of 429 jobs. Unions condemned the proposals and warned of possible industrial action to fight the job cuts.

A separate review of ITV's technology department begins today.

The broadcaster said it had already reduced its overall group headcount by almost 425 positions this year and a further 75 roles are in the final stages of consultation, following a restructuring of certain departments including finance and press.

“We are committed to a self-help, self-funding solution to securing ITV’s future,” John Cresswell, chief operating officer, said in a statement. "In order to sustain our investment in UK content, we have to keep on top of our cost base,” he said.

ITV has a headcount of around 5,500, a spokesman said.

In August, at ITV's interim results, the company said that by the end of this year it would deliver an additional £41 million in cumulative savings each year. At the same time it also said that, due to the worsening economic climate, it was looking to make further cost savings of £35 million across the company by 2010.

News of further job cuts at the commercial broadcaster comes the day after it became clear that BSkyB, the satellite broadcaster, would have to cut its holding in the company from 17.9 per cent to less than 7.5 per cent.

Analysts said yesterday that the ruling by the Competition Appeal Tribunal could leave ITV vulnerable to a takeover. Sky bought its stake in the commercial broadcaster in November 2006, when Virgin Media was attempting to mount its own takeover.

Sky, in which News Corporation, parent company of The Times, has a 39.1 per cent stake, paid 135p a share but the shares have since plunged to 41p.

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