Former ITN chief executive Mark Wood has been appointed chairman of a news consortium bidding for ITV's regional news operation.
DC Thomson, Herald & Times Group, Johnston Press and Tinopolis will, as the Scottish News Consortium, table a bid for the Government's pilot news consortiums scheme.
The Government announced late last year that it will award funding to three pilot schemes in Scotland, Wales and the Scottish Borders region of England to replace broadcast news services currently provided by ITV.