A TELEVISION watchdog has come under fire for allowing Meridian to slash regional programming by almost a half. Peter Williams, Maidstone-based award-winning producer, has warned that the Independent Television Commission's decision is bad news for viewers and threatens the survival of Kent-based production companies.

Under a so-called ITV Nations and Regions Charter, the ITC has agreed with broadcasters a "standardisation of hours" that sets a minimum amount of time devoted to local programmes. In the case of Meridian, the allotted time is coming down from 15hr 47min to just 8hr 30min.

An advertising downturn and more competition have put pressure on ITV to cut local programmes and shunt those they do make into off-peak slots. The ITC, disturbed by this trend, wanted to safeguard regional programmes and ensure they were shown before 12.30am. In return, it agreed to a cut in hours.

Mr Williams, who runs Peter Williams Television in The Maidstone Studios and is chairman of Canterbury Festival, claimed the charter would damage regional broadcasting rather than enhance it. ITV's strength had always been its regionalism, he said, especially in "Meridian land", but the charter struck at the "very heart" of regional broadcasting.

With six hours devoted to news and current affairs made in Meridian's studios in New Hythe, near Maidstone, and Southampton, just two and a half hours would be left for other producers. "That's just half an hour a night," he said. "It's a reduction in regional programming, whichever way you look at it."

Mr Williams, whose credits include Aspinall's Animals, Doodlebug Summer and Songs of Praise, said: "They've failed to take into account the very real threat to a large number of production companies across the region. If they are trying to encourage regional production companies, this is absolutely the wrong way to do it."

His company would survive because it also made programmes for Channels Four and Five, and the BBC, but he warned that others faced a real threat to their future. The charter also discriminated against the English regions because Wales and Northern Ireland were each being allowed to screen 10 hours a week. Mr Williams hoped the ITC would treat the English regions as "fairly" as Wales and Northern Ireland at a time when regionalism in England had become a more important political issue than ever before.

Jean Young, ITC's regional officer for the south of England, said the changes were designed to "enhance" regional programming by increasing investment, boosting quality and improving time slots. She said Meridian was broadcasting only 10hr 54min of original regional programmes, with the rest of the time given to repeats.

This meant the real reduction would be only two hours or so. The ITC had also stipulated that at least 25 per cent of local programmes should be commissioned from independent producers.

She said: "Yes, there's been a snipping away at the margin but in return, we expect to see better quality, greater investment, and at times when people can watch. It's good for viewers." She said that Meridian could always make more local programmes if it wanted to.