The BBC is close to reaching cooperative agreements with a number of local newspapers and TV and radio stations, Media Guardian reported Sunday. The national broadcaster is set to reveal deals with local papers that allows free access to the BBC's online video content for their Web sites, use of the BBC's school of journalism and allowing rivals to utilise its iPlayer technology.

The proposals were announced Tuesday at an industry summit hosted by culture secretary Andy Burnham. The summit was called in the hope of securing the future of local papers who face an uncertain future as the global recession continues to reduce advertising revenue.

"The industry needs to pull together to weather the financial storm. While the BBC is also facing significant economic challenges, it can play a valuable role in underpinning public service broadcasting, and in helping to ensure wider choice and diversity, at a time when the industry is grappling with huge strategic challenges," a senior BBC source told MediaGuardian.

The sharing of resources was proposed earlier in the year but senior BBC sources have said an agreement is close to being reached. The deal is set to be mirrored on a similar arrangement already underway between the BBC and competing public service network ITV.

The BBC and ITV last month agreed to an arrangement that will potentially involve joint regional news centres, shared technical facilities and resources and the use by ITV of BBC gathered video footage. The arrangement hopes to cement the future of local British news, an area that remains popular with viewers and listeners but has struggled to attract advertising money, Media Guardian reported.

The BBC's most recent collaborative proposal will reach out to rival news suppliers such as the Press association, national newspapers the Daily Telegraph and local TV stations such as the Manchester-based and Guardian Media Group-owned Channel M.