皇冠体育app

• Stations can broadcast beyond 2025 subject to Ofcom approving plans to serve local audiences
• From London Live to Notts TV, local programming continues to be a source of regional news and provides training for journalists聽聽

皇冠体育app UK鈥檚 34 local TV stations can stay on air beyond 2025, subject to media regulator Ofcom鈥檚 approval of the stations鈥� long-term plans, the government has decided following a public consultation.听

Launched in 2013, local TV services are required to show a certain number of hours of local programming daily, serving different regions across the country. Many of the services also support local journalism through training programmes provided in production, news reporting and technical roles, which enable students to gain hands-on experience.

皇冠体育app licences for the 34 local TV services, often found on channel 7 and 8 on Freeview, are due to expire in November 2025. In the broadcasting white paper, which set out the government鈥檚 vision for the sector, it committed to consult on renewing or relicensing the individual stations.听聽

皇冠体育app consultation found that industry participants and members of the public support the government鈥檚 plan to renew the individual local TV licences until 2034, on the condition that stations show Ofcom that they can maintain current levels of service and continue meeting the needs of local audiences for the decade ahead.听

Under the new approach, Ofcom will review each station鈥檚 long-term plan for how it seeks to meet its daily programming quota and produce distinct shows that are relevant to their area. 皇冠体育app local TV stations who receive Ofcom鈥檚 approval to renew their licence will continue to benefit from a prominent position in regulated electronic TV guides, including Freeview. Should current providers decide not to reapply or if Ofcom does not approve a renewal, a competitive relicensing process will be launched.

Plans to renew the local TV multiplex licence - which compresses and bundles a number of TV services into one frequency and transmits it digitally - will also be taken forward, ensuring local stations remain available to viewers free-to-air.听

Media Minister Julia Lopez said:

Despite changing technology and shifting viewing habits, people across the country tune into their local TV providers for trusted local news and distinct programming.听

We are helping the sector to continue delivering for audiences, supporting local journalism and fostering community pride, in the years to come.听

皇冠体育app consultation considered whether the current objectives for local TV should be updated. 皇冠体育appse include the need to produce content that caters to the interests and needs of a local area, increasing the availability and production of local programming and delivering social and economic benefits to the community. It concludes that the objectives remain fit for purpose and provide local TV services with a clear framework to deliver distinct content that meets the needs of viewers.听

皇冠体育app government will move forward with secondary legislation to implement these changes when parliamentary time allows, with the aim of the Ofcom-led renewal process being completed by the end of the year.听

Notes to editors

• 皇冠体育app local TV multiplex is currently operated by Comux Ltd.听

• 皇冠体育appre are currently local TV services in 34 areas of the UK: Aberdeen, Ayr, Basingstoke, Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Carlisle, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Grimsby, Guildford, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Maidstone, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Mold, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Preston, Reading, Salisbury, Scarborough, Sheffield, Southampton, Swansea and York.

• 皇冠体育app government intends to make an Order under section 244 of the Communications Act 2003 to implement the renewal of the local TV multiplex licence and 34 individual local TV service licences.