View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Local TV bid for Birmingham goes into administration – but licence expected to transfer to new operator

By Dominic Ponsford

The Government plan to support the launch of a new UK-wide network of local TV stations has been dealt a blow with news that City TV in Birmingham has gone into administration.
But there is said to be considerable interest from other operators in taking over the licence.
City TV saw of competition from four other bidders win the local TV licence for Britain's second largest city.
It had planned to transmit 34.5 hours of news per week, alongside arts and sport programming.
The Birmingham station, trading as BLTV, aimed to launch as early as Easter 2013 and expected to collaborate with other local television operators.
It is also planned to to broadcast programmes in foreign languages catering for Birmingham's various ethnic minorities.
But Administrator Duff & Phelps said in a statement: "BLTV was awarded the licence for Birmingham local television following a lengthy competitive process, overseen by Ofcom.
"Unfortunately, it would appear that despite having demonstrated a comprehensive programming proposal, the company was unable to secure the necessary funding to get the project off the ground, having been awarded the licence.
"We are aware of considerable interest from a number of local television operators in continuing with the Birmingham area opportunity and we are already engaging with them, and Ofcom, to secure a successful transfer of the licence."
Some 19 local TV stations are set to launch in the first wave of the new service after 57 bids for the various licences.
Notts TV in Nottingham, Estuary TV in Grimsby, Mustard TV in Norwich and London Live in London are already broadcasting.
After low early viewing numbers London Live has already asked Ofcom if it can slash the number of hours of primetime local content it broadcasts from three hours to one a day.
Some £40m of BBC licence fee cash will help fund Local TV in the first three years – with £25m going on the broadcasting infrastructure and £5m a year being used to subsidise programming.
Local TV stations also benefit from taking the Channel 8 slot on Freeview.
Then culture secretary Jeremy Hunt launched his bid to back a new network of local TV stations in 2010 saying: "Birmingham Alabama, an example some of you may have heard me use before, has eight local TV stations despite being a quarter the size of our Birmingham that, again, doesn't even have one."

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network