Culture Secretary unveils plans for new national TV channel

It's got nothing to do with ITV, this is something new.

Why Channel 4? well they're the government-owned commercial PSB, if they want to use it as part of their local TV plans then why shouldn't they? It won't be the BBC and there would be issues getting ITV to do it and with C4, there's no shareholders to object. Whatever it's 'obligations' are they can be changed.


So? They've had Hollyoaks before C4 News for a decade, has that weakened it's reputation?

That's completely different and you know it. Take on regional news and it becomes part of your national news output - stories about councils not collecting somebody's bins wouldn't sit very comfortably after a report from Sudan.

And though it has no shareholders, it's very important C4 remains as independent of government as possible and not subject to the whims of the politicians of the day who let one business get away with their responsibilities under the impression that C4 can do it instead.


All it needs is strong leadership to protect local services. If ITV want to drop them they simply lose their gifted space on Freeview and EPG slots on all platforms and the tender is put out to run the new channel 3 network nationwide, or at the very least, to run the regional parts of the network, with ITV Plc allowed to continue to provide the national spine - although any such deal I think would need ITV paying an agreed sum to local franchise holders for it to work.

The local franchise option could be the perfect combination between the previous Labour government and the Coalition's Channel 6 plans...I agree Channel 4 shouldn't be made to pick up regional News, as stated their remit is very different (though in recent years it has become more mainstream to be honest).

They do on the BBC.... and they spent many years trying to integrate their regional and national news because they were always perceived as being seperate. The reputation of Newsnight is not hampered by Look North!

Local news slots on Channel 4 would have nothing to do with channel 4 news. The point is to provide some established popular programmes to 'hammock' the new local ones. They wouldn't even have to be on anywhere near 7pm


But as everyone keeps pointing out, 'business' alone will not be able to support this scheme. What business's responsibility?

This is nothing to do with ITV and is a different proposition to what they've done in the past. They should be left to do what they do best - populist mainstream telly

... but not with their current advantageous arrangement.

Why ? ITV maintain their PSB requirements as defined by the regulator.

I was having a look around on the Glasgow evenings times which are now on line for free to view and come across this piece from 1988:

The picture of Douglas Hurd is terrifying.

A cross between this - http://g1.milliyet.com.tr/Detail/2010/05/04/taniyamadiniz-degil-mi--unluler-film-makyaji-1176907.jpg - and this - http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/characters/The_Silence.

The dark ages, before Photoshop

This misreporting of the launch of MMDS in Ireland there is slightly of interest, it wasn't for local TV stations at all, it was for a wireless cable service, only a handful of companies ended up getting franchises and today they are all owned by UPC.

Department of culture has listed possibly areas for "Channel 6"

Department of Culture
More interactive map from Ofcom

Seems like the network idea is totally out the window now?

They've pretty much said that already. Can see these channels closing as quickly as they launch though. It's a nice idea, but simply not viable - and much more could be achieved by restoring regional requirements for ITV.