THE broadcaster, STV, has been awarded licences to run local TV channels for Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The successful bids – which were submitted in association with local universities, Edinburgh Napier University and Glasgow Caledonian University – were announced this morning by broadcasting regulators, Ofcom.
The licences for Glasgow Television and Edinburgh Television are awarded for a period of up to 12 years.
In May, Ofcom invited applications to run local TV services in 21 local areas throughout the UK. In total, 57 applications were received, along with four applications for the local multiplex.
Says Ofcom: “As well as broadcasting on digital terrestrial TV, it is anticipated that local TV channels might also wish to offer their services on satellite, cable and online.”
Ofcom has now awarded 13 local TV licences.
Says STV, in a statement: “STV is delighted to have been awarded the Local TV licences for Glasgow and Edinburgh. The two services, GTV and ETV, will be delivered in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University and Edinburgh Napier University. GTV and ETV will provide an innovative television service to the communities they serve complementing STV’s existing broadcast, online and mobile services. These new ventures will also provide media students with opportunities to work and learn in a live broadcast environment.”
The runners-up for the Edinburgh licence were Edinburgh News Network, Made in Edinburgh and Metro8.
The Made in Edinburgh bid was headed by former BBC Scotland journalist, David Calder.
Said Ofcom of the four bids for Edinburgh: “Edinburgh News Network, Edinburgh Television and Made in Edinburgh all demonstrated local links that would help ensure the proposed services met the needs of the local area. Of these, Edinburgh Television and Made in Edinburgh’s programming propositions gave the broadcasting licensing committee (BLC) confidence that the proposed services could broadcast a range of programming which would be likely to meet the needs of the coverage area.
“Edinburgh Television and Made in Edinburgh’s overall content propositions were the best developed, giving the BLC confidence that they would broaden the range of programming available in the area, and the range of programming made in and about the area.
“Edinburgh News Network, Edinburgh Television and Made in Edinburgh proposed services that were locally-focused. In the case of Edinburgh Television, the BLC felt the partnership with Edinburgh Napier University including board representation and a commitment to facilitate community access to the channel, would be important in ensuring this. Including this partnership as part of the Programming Commitments gave the BLC confidence that this relationship would be maintained. Made in Edinburgh also had arrangements in place for use of facilities and students from Edinburgh College.
“Edinburgh Television and Made in Edinburgh demonstrated the best understanding of the specific needs of the area and provided confidence – by the inclusion of proposals in Programming Commitments – that the needs of the area would be met in the way proposed, for the duration of the licence. In this regard both were considered to be strong applications.
“Edinburgh Television, Made in Edinburgh and Metro8 all demonstrated that they were likely to be able to launch their proposed services. In relation to management and staffing experience there was considered to be a breadth of experience in all three applicants. Edinburgh Television gave the committee the greatest confidence that it had a sustainable business, based on reasonable financial assumptions, which would enable the proposed service to be launched and maintained for the duration of the licence.”
Meanwhile, the runners-up for the Glasgow licence were Community News Television, Made in Glasgow and Metro8.
While the Made in Glasgow bid was another from Calder, the CNT bid was headed by Brian Keating, who is behind local TV intiatives already operating – as URTV – in Helensburgh, Annandale and Ayrshire, Glasgow West End and Leith, in Edinburgh.
Said Ofcom of the four bids for Glasgow: “CNTV, Glasgow Television and Made in Glasgow all demonstrated local links that would help ensure the proposed services met the needs of the local area. However, Glasgow Television and Made in Glasgow‘s applications set out a range of programming which was most likely to meet the needs of a broad range of viewers within the coverage area as a whole.
“Made in Glasgow and Glasgow Television’s overall content propositions were the best developed, giving the broadcasting licensing committee (BLC) confidence that they would broaden the range of programming available in the area, and the range of programming made in and about the area.
“CNTV, Made in Glasgow and Glasgow Television proposed services that were distinctive and locally-focused. In the case of Glasgow Television, the BLC felt the partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University including board representation and a commitment to facilitate the creation of community content for broadcast, would be important in ensuring this. Including this partnership as part of the Programming Commitments gave the BLC confidence that this relationship would be maintained.
“Glasgow Television demonstrated the greatest understanding of the specific needs of the area and set out in specific terms how these needs would be addressed through its programming. Glasgow Television provided confidence – by the inclusion of many of its proposals in Programming Commitments – that the needs of the area would be met in the way proposed, for the duration of the licence.
“All applicants demonstrated that they were likely to be able to launch their proposed services. However, Made in Glasgow and Glasgow Television gave the committee the greatest confidence that they had sustainable business plans, based on reasonable assumptions, which would enable the proposed services to be maintained for the duration of the licence.”
Said Dave Rushton, director of the Institute of Local Television: “Ofcom’s decision to award the two Scottish licenses to STV contradicts the advice to increase broadcasting plurality from Ofcom Scotland’s Advisory Committee and the Scottish Broadcasting Commission.
“There is public and parliamentary sympathy in Scotland for a genuinely independent public and community focused local TV.
“Ofcom’s decision is undemocratic, unfair and unreasonable. If other local candidates were inadequate, the competition should have been re-run.”
Pic: Graeme Hunter.
