Ofcom invites applications for furer local TV licences

Ofcom is today inviting applications for licences to run local TV channels in 11 further locations across the UK.

They are: Barnstaple, Basingstoke, Derry/Londonderry, Gloucester, Guildford, Limavady, Luton, Maidstone, Plymouth, Reading and Salisbury.

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 7 January 2014.

This new invitation to apply follows the advertisement earlier this year of licences for Bangor, Cambridge, Middlesbrough, Mold, Scarborough, Swansea and York. Ofcom has received 10 applications for these areas and will award the licences in the coming months. It is possible that these services will be on air by the end of 2014.

Ofcom has already awarded 19 local TV licences1, with the first channel, Estuary TV (Grimsby), expected to launch in November 2013.

Ofcom intends to advertise one more set of locations next year2. Awarding licences in these different stages will minimise the length of time between applications being submitted and licence awards being made.

These licences are for channels on the Freeview platform (i.e. digital terrestrial television), but the local operators may also wish to offer their services on satellite, cable and online.

Details about how to apply can be found here.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. As part of the first phase, Ofcom licensed the following local TV channels:

Belfast: NvTv Grimsby: Estuary TV Nottingham: Notts TV

Birmingham: City TV Broadcasting London: London Live Oxford: That's Oxford

Brighton & Hove: Latest TV Leeds: Made in Leeds Preston: YourTV Blackpool & Preston

Bristol: Made in Bristol Liverpool: Bay TV Liverpool Sheffield: SLTV/Sheffield Live

Cardiff: Made in Cardiff Manchester: YourTV Manchester Southampton: That's Solent

Edinburgh: ETV Newcastle: Made in Tyne and Wear

Glasgow: GTV Norwich: Mustard

2. The further 10 locations to be advertised in 2014 are:

Aberdeen Falkirk

Ayr Inverness

Bromsgrove Kidderminster

Carlisle Stoke on Trent

Dundee Stratford upon Avon

3. 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 Orders passed by Parliament.

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 34 (Wales and Scotland).

5. Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications, wireless communications and postal services.

6. For further information about Ofcom please visit: www.ofcom.org.uk. Ofcom's news releases can be found at: http://media.ofcom.org.uk/.

CONTACT

Elizabeth de Winton

Ofcom Communications

elizabeth.dewinton@ofcom.org.uk

(+44) (0)300 123 4000

LINK:	http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2013/09/24/ofcom-invites-applications-for-11...
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