Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Local TV report welcomed by potential franchise bidder

Nicholas Shott's review described as a 'starting gun' by chief executive of City 6 Richard Horwood

Nicholas Shott's report on local TV was today welcomed by the first serious bidder for a licence fee-subsidised local TV franchise, former Trinity Mirror chief executive Richard Horwood.

Horwood, chief executive of City 6, which is aiming to be a US-style national broadcast network integrated with local affiliates, described it as a "starting gun for a new type of television in this country".

"We entirely agree with Mr Shott that the only way to achieve the secretary of state's vision for commercially funded, broadcast quality local TV is through the establishment of a 'national backbone' to support local programming," he said.

"As Mr Shott has rightly identified, the channel should be carried on all platforms, with a prominent position on the EPG.

"We believe that the City 6 model of an integrated local and national network of city TV stations, with local stations flexibly opting out of a high quality national Channel 6 schedule, is the optimal solution. It will enable local stations to broadcast a continuous channel of high quality, distinctive national and local programming, funded by access to national TV advertising revenues."

Shott said only 10 to 12 local TV services would be viable in the UK on digital terrestrial television, broadcasting just two hours of locally produced content a day.

The Lazard investment banker, asked to report on local TV by culture secretary Jeremy Hunt, said it would be supported by a "national backbone" to fill the rest of the schedule and generate much-needed national advertising revenue.

"The 'national backbone' will require truly national content in order to generate sufficient advertising revenues to support local services and justify a prominent position on the EPG," said Horwood.

"In this way, City 6 can provide strong backing for grass-roots community TV programme makers, working hand in glove with local newspaper groups and local media companies ... City 6 will also open up a huge new market for independent producers working across the country."

The Local TV Network Committee chaired by former BBC director general Greg Dyke also welcomed the report.

"Nicholas Shott has called for reserved spectrum and priority on the programme guide to be used to support local TV services and we believe this is the right way forward," said Dyke.

"We will be responding to some of the questions raised by the Shott report in the new year including the number and diversity of stations to be offered, the regulatory framework in which they will operate and the options to develop a network centre.

"Most of all we want to ensure that models are developed to enable local TV to provide a real boost to local economies and local democracy across the UK. There's still a lot of detail to be worked through but the time is coming in 2011 to stop talking about local TV and start making it happen."

The Local TV Network Committee was set up in September, with the support of trade association, United for Local Television.

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/14/nicholas-shott-richard-horwood

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