Culture Secretary unveils plans for new national TV channel

Yeah, let's put a tiny station up against two massive behemoths stationed in the same city. That's going to work.

All Channel M proved is that you can't compete against a decent service on a budget of 14p.

The TV4 regional news service is running under different conditions, and I'm sure ITV would gladly extend their regional news to 25 English regions if Ofcom would allow those conditions. Some key differences:

*TV4 doesn't do any separate 30 minute newscasts, all regional news bulletins are about three-five minutes long.
*No live bulletins (except in Stockholm). The newsreader segments are recorded throughout the day and evening, and a short animation is used to hide the edit points.
*There are only news studios in four cities, all other locations have a small number of reporters.

If you are curious, you can watch TV4's local news on their website:
http://www.tv4play.se/nyheter_och_debatt/nyheterna_blekinge?title=tv4nyheterna_blekinge_19_14

Also - weren't TV4 required to work in co-operation with local news providers initially, as a requirement for them to get the first commercial terrestrial licence in Sweden? (Previously only SVT1 and SVT2 - both non-commercial and similar to the BBC - had terrestrial licences, with other broadcasters only available on satellite - and possibly cable)

To be fair Channel M, in one way did succeed - local content, local news, even a local news breakfast show. If anything a lot of their content could have easily transferred onto a Regional station - especially the property programmes and the "I Love Manchester" series which focussed on different areas and aspects of Greater Manchester.

It failed due to difficulties with its parent company - Guardian Newspapers. First they reduced the costs vastly, then reduced the staff levels and then sold off the main-stay of Channel M - Manchester Evening News (to Trinity News), and the local radio stations it owned (to Emap) - that, in effect was the deathnail of the station as it could no longer garner news reports and features from a sister, local, media outlets.

For a station that was made in Greater Manchester for the people of Greater Manchester it did work and did get decent viewing figures - althoughh it was very much a niche station.

Microstations, such as Channel M, can work but only if in partnerships with other modes of news and feature carrying media such as radio stations or even newspapers.

[quote="amosc100" pid="753804"]
Which stations were sold to Emap?

You can't say something suceeded on the basis it produced some good proggrammes with local merit. If you can prove it turned a profit then you can say it was a success.

Oh right. Not quite as impressive as I thought then!

That is the only kind of way I see it working here, with short regular regional opts on a national news channel. I do wonder what would have happened if the ITV News Channel had survived as I do think ITV would ultimately have looked to move it's regional news there - and perhaps ultimately they would have scrapped the 30 minute flagship bulletins in favour of shorter more regular bulletins during the day.

TV4 were initially required the help set up several independent local stations that would opt-out about once every day to broadcast local news and entertainment (and local idents!). They were popular, but bled money, and it would take TV4 well over a decade to turn them around. At that point, they had been merged into one company, making most of its money from local advertising windows in national primetime shows.

You're missing a key word, and that's "woeful".

Woeful local content, woeful local news and even a woeful local news breakfast show. The quality of these programmes, in particular the breakfast show, was disappointingly poor.

And why would the people who live in Manchester want to watch a series called "I Love Manchester" about "areas and aspects of Greater Manchester". I know first hand that there is nothing much of merit in Greater Manchester, and the people who live there don't need that forcing down their neck because they already know.

Hmmm seems someone is a tad anti-Greater Manchester.

I love Manchester just didn't do city centres - so you didn't see the episodes that featured Glossop, Edgworth, Ramsbottom, Last Drop, Rivington, Blackrod. No merit in Greater Manchester ? are you sure???? In Bolton alone - one of the first municipal libraries in teh country, the larget collection of Egyptian artefacts outside London, the home of Samuel Crompton and his Spinning Mule which changed the face of industry, Bolton's role in the civil war - that not everything no plenty to learn there and that's only Bolton - Even in Manchester what about the Peterloo massacre, the worlds very first passenger railway, home of the modern computer (not microchip but computer), home of the bouncing bomb, home of the worlds longest running TV soap opera etc etc etc

The news may have been more woeful than BBC, ITV or Sky but it was decent, and local compared to the budget of its bigger counterparts.

Then other shows such as The United Show, The City Show, all the other sports programmes that were local and don't forget about The Frank Sidebottom Show! then they also showcased up and coming new bands in the region - not all, if any, made it to the big time, but at least it gave the bands and comedians an outlet which the major networks, or the plethora of digital channels don't do!

My latest slightly amended proposal for Local and Regional News/Programming

REGIONAL NEWS
I feel the BBC and the Channel 3 franchises (ITV, STV and UTV) should both amend their Regional News coverage to 9 English TV Regions each – LONDON, SOUTH EAST, SOUTH WEST, WEST MIDLANDS, EAST MIDLANDS, EASTERN ENGLAND, NORTH WEST, YORKSHIRE AND NORTH EAST & BORDER. Under my proposal ITV Wales and ITV Channel Islands would continue to produce a 'National' News programme for their respective areas. STV and BBC would also continue to provide the News programmes they currently provide for Scotland with UTV and BBC continuing to produce News programmes for Northern Ireland. I feel both the BBC and ITV should provide 9 minutes Regional News between 6am and 9am, 3 minutes of Regional News at Lunchtime, 25 minutes on the Evening Regional News programme and 5 minutes Regional News after BBC and ITV 10:00pm (22:00) News programmes. These programmes will no longer have any sub-regions. For the Channel 3 Licences this agreement would last until 2024, with no further reduction or increase permitted at any point. All Regional News programmes must be produced within the Region they serve. By reducing the BBC's Regional News services, I feel that Local Media such as BBC Local Radio, Local Newspapers, Local News websites, the fledging Local TV services and maybe even ITV's Regional News programmes could have a chance to thrive.

OTHER REGIONAL PROGRAMMING
Under this proposal the BBC would continue to provide other Regional Programming for their Regions similar to the present arrangements. Under the new agreement, ITV plc's English and Channel Islands Channel 3 Franchises would provide at least a 30 minutes Regional Magazine Programme which would include at least 15 minutes of Politics/Current Affairs for the respective Region. ITV Wales, STV and UTV would provide 'National' programming at the current levels. All programming must be produced within the Region they serve. Like the Regional News, the agreement for the other Regional Programming would last until 2024.

NATIONAL PROGRAMMING MADE WITHIN REGIONS
I believe that the current 'Made Outside London' guidelines for Public Service Broadcasters should be scrapped in exchange for a quota that calls for 2% of all programmes to be made (1% for Channel 4) within each TV Region. Although this would essentially reduce the amount of programming made outside the Capital City, the Regional quotas would allow for the whole Nation to be better served. This would only apply to the BBC channels (excluding BBC News and BBC Parliament), ITV1 and Channel 4. Channel 5's current quota for 'Outside London' programming would continue as present.

THE FLEDGING LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS
Jeremy Hunt's idea is to start Local TV channels via Digital Terrestrial Television ( DTT). I have spoke before about Local TV opt-outs via Channel 5, however this idea like Jeremy's could also be seen as outdated. Amongst many others I now feel we must embrace the future by starting any fledging Local TV stations on IPTV (Internet Protocol Television). I also feel that this should be as part of an online Local TV network. The £25m already issued to the Local TV project from the Licence Fee could be used for the cost of advertising the Local TV services via the BBC and ITV's Regional networks, Local Newspapers (and National Newspapers with 'Regional' pull outs, Local BBC and Commercial Radio Stations and Local Resource Websites. Surely all other costs must be paid for by the Local TV franchises themselves. Like all other PSB's on regular TV, there would be certain conditions to these Licences to promote quality and diversity via a Local TV channel's programming. As with Regional TV, all programming should be made within the community that the Local TV stations serve.

I haven't read it. But have you sent this to Jeremy Hunt?