19th award completes the first phase of local TV licensing
Ofcom has awarded the licence to run the local TV service in Preston on digital terrestrial TV (DTT), completing the first phase of local TV licensing.
The award follows legislation enabling Ofcom to issue local TV licences. The channels will broadcast on a specific multiplex', a discrete amount of spectrum reserved for local TV broadcasting on DTT.
The licence is awarded to:
Preston: YourTV Blackpool & Preston
Channel name: YourTV Blackpool & Preston
Website: http://yourtvblackpoolpreston.co.uk/
Licences are awarded for a period of up to 12 years. It is hoped that some channels may be on air before the end of 2013. As well as broadcasting on DTT, it is anticipated that local TV channels might also wish to offer their services on satellite, cable and online.
A statement setting out the main reasons for the award of the Preston local TV licence has been published on the Ofcom website.
End of first phase
With the award of the Preston licence, Ofcom has now completed the first phase of local TV licensing.
In May 2012, Ofcom invited applications to run local TV services in 21 local areas. In total, 57 applications were received to run the services in 19 areas, along with four applications for the local TV multiplex.
Ofcom has now awarded all 19 local TV licences and the multiplex licence. In total, the first phase of local TV channels will reach almost 12 million households1.
The full list of successful applicants is:
Belfast: NvTv
Birmingham: City TV Broadcasting
Brighton & Hove: Latest TV
Bristol: Made in Bristol
Cardiff: Made in Cardiff
Edinburgh: ETV
Glasgow: GTV
Grimsby: Lincolnshire Living
London: London Live
Leeds: Made in Leeds
Liverpool: Bay TV Liverpool
Manchester: YourTV Manchester
Newcastle: Made in Tyne and Wear
Norwich: Mustard
Nottingham: Notts TV
Oxford: That's Oxford
Preston: YourTV Blackpool & Preston
Sheffield: SLTV/Sheffield Live
Southampton: That's Solent
Multiplex operator: Comux
In line with powers granted to Ofcom to licence local TV, Ofcom is now preparing for the second phase of licensing and will publish details shortly.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Ofcom estimates that the 19 local TV licences awarded in the first phase could reach approximately almost 12 million homes. Ofcom is in the process of confirming the coverage with the multiplex licensee now that the multiplex licence has been awarded.
2. Ofcom has provided technical assistance for local TV coverage planning and is overseeing the licensing of local TV services. This follows the Government's policy statement in December 2011, and our public consultation that closed on 19 March 2012.
3. Full contact details for Preston applicant, along with details of their application are available here.
4. Digital UK, the organisation responsible for the management and allocation of channel numbers on DTT, has reserved channel numbers for new public service local TV channels. These will be carried at channel 8 (England and Northern Ireland) and channel 45 (Wales and Scotland).
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19th award completes the first phase of local TV licensing
