Owners Guardian Media Group (GMG) Radio said the regional station was not commercially viable under new government plans for local TV.

BBC: Manchester TV station Channel M closes

Lord Puttnam's warnings were echoed by, among others, Tory ex-cabinet minister and former Midland Independent Newspapers chairman Lord Fowler, former BBC director-general crossbencher Lord Birt, and two former Guardian Media Group chairmen, Labour peers Lord Myners and Lord Gavron.

BBC: Peers welcome Ofcom probe of News Corp's BSkyB bid