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57 bids for new local tv licences

(August 2012)

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RI
Rijowhi
As I've said before maybe Britain should be planning for Local TV via IPTV instead...a lot more local Stations could be available that way. That would be the more modern way of doing things,especially if some of the Licence Fee money was used for the advertising of these services. Let the Local TV stations try and make their own money after the original advertising investment...there could even be a network page for all the IPTV local stations.

I believe this policy along with reducing the BBC/ITV (STV/UTV) Regional News/Programming ( though I believe ITV should be producing at least a 30 minute weekly Regional Magazine - to cover Politics/Current Affairs/Lighter issues in each English region ) to something like the Government Regions and Home Nations could allow Local TV ( and maybe even Local Newspapers/Radio Stations ) to thrive.
VM
VMPhil
Mr Kite posted:
VMPhil posted:
The sign on the Albert Dock studios was originally 'Granada TV News' but I think later it changed to 'Granada Television'. Granada Reports had a retrospective when moved back to Quay Street in 2006/2007.


Granada Reports moved to the Albert Dock in 1986. At some point in the early 90s, Granada Tonight came from Manchester, whilst the shorter Granada News bulletins remained in Liverpool; including those imbedded into Granada Tonight, which as essentially a magazine format by that time.

If I recall correctly, the news bulletins returned to Manchester in October 1998 to make way for the Shop! channel - a joint venture with Littlewoods. This was when the 'Bringing The News Home To You' look was introduced. I'm not sure, but I think the sign possibly changed to 'Granada Television' around this time.

Shop! closed in 2002 but Albert Dock remained as Granada's Liverpool newsgathering base until they were able to sell it in 2006, when it moved to the Liver Building, but no news broadcast there anywhere as recent as 2006.

Can someone tell me exactly when they moved the main programme back to Manchester. Was it when the 1993 look came in or the 1992 look? I know by the 1993 look, it was definitely coming from Manchester but whilst the 1992 look has a Liverpool backdrop (I'm too young to really remember first hand), the one in the main programme looks more like a picture, rather than the pseudo-live window that appears present in the short bulletins.


Thanks for that Mr Kite, interesting read. I did know that Granada Reports was in Manchester by 2006, I meant the newsgathering operation, but I forgot about them still having a Liverpool base.
NU
The Nurse
Rijowhite posted:
As I've said before maybe Britain should be planning for Local TV via IPTV instead...a lot more local stations could be available that way.


What, and start off with an even smaller viewer base than they had on analogue?! That does nothing to address the issue that has already been mentioned - that when this was tried before, it failed. The last thing local TV needs is the requirement for people to buy new kit before they can watch it!

And another issue that has already been mentioned is viewer demand - spreading the thin demand that does exist across several stations is only going to make things worse.

PS thanks Markymark for the explanation re transmission! Smile
IS
Inspector Sands
The Nurse posted:
Rijowhite posted:
As I've said before maybe Britain should be planning for Local TV via IPTV instead...a lot more local stations could be available that way.


What, and start off with an even smaller viewer base than they had on analogue?! That does nothing to address the issue that has already been mentioned - that when this was tried before, it failed. The last thing local TV needs is the requirement for people to buy new kit before they can watch it!

That's not to say that they won't stream online though, and put their content online for on demand viewing - they'd be daft to ignore smart TVs and the like when it becomes more common.

I believe the idea is for the channels to have limited hours so 'non-linear' outlets are a must
FB
Fluffy Bunny Feet
Inspector Sands posted:
The Nurse posted:
Rijowhite posted:
As I've said before maybe Britain should be planning for Local TV via IPTV instead...a lot more local stations could be available that way.


What, and start off with an even smaller viewer base than they had on analogue?! That does nothing to address the issue that has already been mentioned - that when this was tried before, it failed. The last thing local TV needs is the requirement for people to buy new kit before they can watch it!

That's not to say that they won't stream online though, and put their content online for on demand viewing - they'd be daft to ignore smart TVs and the like when it becomes more common.

I believe the idea is for the channels to have limited hours so 'non-linear' outlets are a must


Anyone who thinks that ultra local TV should look at the site linked below.
It promises news for a specific area and does occasional amateur looking reports. Now it's reduced to cut and paste crime press releases - and surprise, surprise from all over the place thus completely at odds with what it set out to do.

http://wharfedalemediagroup.co.uk/

I and others on these pages have said numerous times before it is doomed to fail. The economic model will only work with subsidies and amateur/free/viewer content and what will that look like?
Having said that I welcome any variety of TV/Webcasts but I just can't see it surviving.
IS
Inspector Sands
Fluffy Bunny Feet posted:
The economic model will only work with subsidies and amateur/free/viewer content and what will that look like?

Subsidies like the one from the license fee?
FB
Fluffy Bunny Feet
Inspector Sands posted:
Fluffy Bunny Feet posted:
The economic model will only work with subsidies and amateur/free/viewer content and what will that look like?

Subsidies like the one from the license fee?


Yes, the start up subsidy which will come from licence fee coffers.
I suppose the next debating point will be if any subsidy gives an unfair advantage to competion.
I don't know, for example, if ITV got help when it first started.
Last edited by Fluffy Bunny Feet on 17 August 2012 3:28pm
PE
Pete Founding member
Many of the ITV companies had the backing of the big cinema chains. Plus with no competition for the advertising it was noted as the licence to print money.
FB
Fluffy Bunny Feet
Pete posted:
Many of the ITV companies had the backing of the big cinema chains. Plus with no competition for the advertising it was noted as the licence to print money.


Some did yes, but that's not the same as a subsidy raised by tax or a licence fee - ie public money.
It was more of a business plan and if it was not successful they would have pulled out or gone out of business trying to prop it up. I go back to the Channel M model. A big city area with a large population not generating enough money to survive and another newspaper firm realising the hard way that making TV is expensive.
Make it cheap and no one will watch.
Did you go to the link I posted aerlier?

http://wharfedalemediagroup.co.uk/

It's currently running stories about Leeds Allotments Awards alongside those of killings in Syria...
Totally unbalanced and not local.
:-(
A former member
Maybe ITV should have 20 odd station to help create more local tv, just like in the usa. most of the content is network but with enough gaps for local content to be filled with what is needed.
DO
dosxuk
The thing is though that the US is so much bigger. The big cities aren't next door to each other like Manchester and Liverpool, or Birmingham and Coventry, or Sheffield and Leeds, they're spread out over an entire continent. Then there's the figures involved - in the UK, the top 20 cities have a population of about 14.5 million. In the US the top 20 cities have a population of about 32.5 million, over double the UK.

This "we've got to have local TV because they do in the US" attitude (started by mini-media-barons and politicians) in nonsense and idioicy. Some of their local TV stations cover larger areas and/or more people than some of our regional TV stations!
IS
Inspector Sands
Fluffy Bunny Feet posted:

Did you go to the link I posted aerlier?

http://wharfedalemediagroup.co.uk/

It's currently running stories about Leeds Allotments Awards alongside those of killings in Syria...
Totally unbalanced and not local.

Yes, but that doesn't mean that's what local TV will be like. I've no idea who Wharfedale Media Group are, they don't appear to run any newspapers or be affiliated to any other local media. It looks like just someone's attempt at creating a local 'portal' website and try to sell some advertising

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