The UK’s broadcasting watchdog has abandoned plans to cut the amount of local programming required at Ulster Television.
Ofcom decided that the level of non-news programmes on the station would still be two hours per week and not one and a half as originally proposed.
Viewers will still be able to watch UTV Live evening news bulletins at 6pm and 10.30pm.
The changes would allow more space for regionally-produced shows like UTV Life and Late and Live.
Denis Wolinski, director of Ofcom Northern Ireland, said: ‘Viewers in Northern Ireland have told us that they value programmes made in Northern Ireland and in the rest of the UK.’
Journalists at UTV have been offered voluntary redundancy, with station managers blaming the challenging economic environment, and communications regulator Ofcom's recent public service broadcasting proposals for a proposed cut in the number of hours of locally-produced output.
The station was planning to axe about a third of its 118-strong TV division.
Some journalists have already announced plans to take a redundancy package.
The NUJ and fellow union Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) criticised the consultation process on the changes with staff.
Assembly members had also raised concerns about the future of UTV.
The BBC has offered to share its regional news infrastructure and pictures with Channel 3 licensees.
Ofcom will consider whether this raises editorial or competition issues and how these partnerships ensure real choice in the long-term provision of news in Northern Ireland.
Given these risks and uncertainties and UTV's scepticism about the proposal, Ofcom also believes that to sustain news provision in Northern Ireland, the UK government should plan now for a new model, based on an independently funded consortium of news providers and commercial broadcasters.
An Ofcom spokesman added: ‘Programmes which reflect the creative spirit and culture of Northern Ireland are important to audiences.
‘If resources and competing priorities allow, and if our other UK-wide recommendations cannot deliver audiences' needs, the UK government should consider bespoke solutions for Northern Ireland. This could include a new agency or competitive fund.
‘Such a fund could also address the question of long-term funding for indigenous language programming for Northern Ireland.’
