A Cumbrian businessman has moved to assure the long-term future of Border Television.

Its new managing director, Ian Fisher, of media production company Creative Imagineers, has vowed the company will live on as a producer of television and new media, despite ITV moving production of its regional news programme Lookaround out of the region to Gateshead at the end of this month.

Fisher says: ‘The name of Border Television has been an enormously important brand, particularly in the north of England and Scotland, for nearly 50 years. Creative Imagineers has taken steps to ensure the brand is now protected and will continue to be used in the context of television production.’

Fisher, an award-winning television producer and director, who worked for the company for 30 years before setting up Creative Imagineers, is concerned the heritage Border left behind be protected for the future.

He says: ‘There’s a great deal of goodwill attached to the company name, and it is instantly recognisable to everyone in the region. It makes sound economic sense to acquire the company and keep its name alive in television production. I’ll be proud to be part of something which helps maintain the memory of household names like long-time news presenter and friend Eric Wallace, and Mr & Mrs presenter Derek Batey.’

During his time at the broadcaster, Fisher led the first television news team into Lockerbie after the crash of PanAm 103 on the town, coverage of which won Border an RTS Award, and won Fisher a medal at the New York Film and Television Festival.

He specialises in documentary, science and technology and nuclear matters and his science series Innovators has been shown around the world.

Plans for the company are in their early stages, but Fisher hasn’t ruled out hopes of Border Television providing a regional television service in the future.

‘The world of media is moving rapidly’, he says, ‘and even the greatest minds in the industry are struggling to understand what the future holds. But there are exciting developments on the horizon which could see the name of Border Television returning to the small screen, and giving its viewers the service they demand.’

The Isle of Man will join ITV's Granda news region later this year, after it was announced that Border would merge with Tyne Tees.

However the Island will remain part of Border throughout the Digital Switchover this summer and will join Granda once they begin the switch in November.

A consultation revealed 77 per cent of the Island would prefer to receive their news from Granada.