Freeview local TV branding announced - Local TV or |local|

Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 23rd August 2013 at 08:33

Local TV will be promoting the new services, which come on air over the next 12 months starting with Grimsby in November. They have launched a new website today Local TV - Get closer.

Responsible Minister Ed Vaizey says "This agreement marks a key stage in the development of local TV and we will soon see the first station begin broadcasting. The first station to hit the airwaves will launch an entirely new media industry in the UK. These stations are creating new jobs in our communications and creative industries, and providing people with a fresh way to be informed about their local communities."

The Local TV brand was officially launched at the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (GEITF).



The Local TV site.

Comux's CEO Ed Hall says "Recently we announced contracts with all of our infrastructure partners and suppliers. We can now deliver the complete technical framework we promised to Ofcom and the 19 local licensees due to start broadcasting from this November. Today's launch of the public-facing Local TV brand means that we can now start promoting the service to the public and ensure that it receives the audience it deserves.

Local TV will become a familiar brand over the next year or two, and we fully expect that the local television service will attract a significant audience in the areas that it is available. Ofcom is currently seeking expressions of interest in a second phase of local stations across another 30 locations, and we are looking forward to the launch of the first station this autumn."

Lia Nici from Channel 7 Grimsby adds "The opportunity to launch our service on Freeview represents a major advance for us and will bring us to a far bigger audience. This has been made possible by the shared infrastructure that Comux UK has put in place which allows us to focus our investments and efforts on programme making. We're, therefore, very pleased that we will be the first station to broadcast on the new service this November."

Alongside broadcasting on digital terrestrial TV, some of the local channels are planning carriage on satellite and cable TV, and online.

Comux UK is owned in equal measure by the local television licensees.