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New local TV network in the UK

  • 19-01-2011 11:45am
    #1
    rlogue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,035 ✭✭✭


    The UK government is about to announce the creation of a sixth TV network focused on local stations, almost like going back to the reason why ITV was established in the first place. We know ITV are likely to hand back their Channel 3 licence at some point and want to go national, leaving UTV and STV high and dry.

    Could the sixth network be a future home for UTV?


Comments

  • #2
    Mike 1972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,018 ✭✭✭Mike 1972


    If ITV give up their channel 3 licence they should be kicked off freeview and loose their 103 slot on satellite and the franchises should be readvertised.

    What exactly is the story with this proposed "sixth" network though

    Will it be state run (pointlessly duplicating the offerings of the Beeb and Channel 4) or entirely private.
    Will it cover the whole of the UK or just larger cities.
    How many regions are envisaged
    What role will existing RSL stations (Channel 9 and NVTV) after ASO (if any) and will this clash with the proposed network
    Will it be on Sky/Freesat, KA or just DTT

    And why is it being described as a "sixth network" when ASO is in progress and there are already (far) more than five services on DTT ?


  • #3
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,246 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    Plans are sketchy at the moment, but yes, it would be a commercial network. By the looks if there would be a UK-wide franchisee and several local franchisees. The local franchises would own specific time slots and and the national franchisee would have the rights to broadcast on the network the rest of the time. There'd be a guarenteed EPG slot on Freeview and a must-carry obligation for cable. (As usual it would be up to the network to enter into a commercial arrangement with Sky).

    Hunt thinks that local TV could work in the UK and that the only reason it hasn't is because ITV has been in the way.

    But show me the RSL which has been a success? I think the two in the North are the only ones still broadcasting.

    http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/7725.aspx

    Really, it is because of pressure from ITV plc which is looking for a way to get out of its regional committements. It doesn't want to give up its Channel 3 licence despite all the noise it has been making. Why? Because the second it does so Sky will drop it down to the bottom of the EPG which will send its viewing figures through the floor. Therefore it has done what has worked for it before on numerous occassions and started lobbying the British Government for yet another loosing of its obligations, with the threat (never meant to be carried out) that it will hand back its licence if it doesn't get what it wants.

    As for it being a future home for UTV and STV, that's not really the model being proposed, although the Action Plan does mention that instead of a local channel the nations could have a national channel instead.


  • #4
    rlogue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,035 ✭✭✭rlogue


    That's why I think the new network will be a bolthole for UTV, STV and Channel TV.


  • #5
    Pat Gleeson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 529 ✭✭✭Pat Gleeson


    icdg wrote: »
    Really, it is because of pressure from ITV plc which is looking for a way to get out of its regional committements. It doesn't want to give up its Channel 3 licence despite all the noise it has been making.

    A clear case of ITV wanting their cake and eating it. At least the BBC make an effort to provide quality programming. If ITV want out, make them put up or shut up. If they want to keep their prominent position on EPG's, they must commit to keeping regions - or let let someone else do it and replace them on the EPG.


  • #6
    endakenny
    Closed Accounts Posts: 956 ✭✭✭endakenny


    icdg wrote: »
    Really, it is because of pressure from ITV plc which is looking for a way to get out of its regional committements. It doesn't want to give up its Channel 3 licence despite all the noise it has been making. Why? Because the second it does so Sky will drop it down to the bottom of the EPG which will send its viewing figures through the floor
    People are not going to stop watching Emmerdale and Corrie just because ITV1 would not be at 103 on the Sky EPG and surely it would not vanish from terrestrial TV, would it?


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  • #7
    Elmo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    endakenny wrote: »
    People are not going to stop watching Emmerdale and Corrie just because ITV1 would not be at 103 on the Sky EPG and surely it would not vanish from terrestrial TV, would it?

    It is unlikely that ITV would go Pay. They many bring ITV 2, 3 and 4 into the pay fold. What is being suggested is that ITV aren't carrying out the fundamentals of their Channel 3 licence and therefore it should be taken off them.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_TV

    Six TV has been established for a while.


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