TV Home Forum

Local TV

Are you local?

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
WH
Whataday Founding member
Someone at these stations need to think outside of the box. I mean they seriously cant think that reading the headlines from a bush is a good idea?

Where's s the pairings with unis and colleges? Why can't their studios be used to record news updates?

If media students see a local news break, knock up an article for the website, get that tweet out there. Where possible get on air live. Even if its just you looking into camera you can read statements, get a fellow student to source phone interviews, eyewitnesses.

It's like, come on guys!


The thing about thinking outside of the box is that it does need at least some resources to back it up.

The reason Made Television had programming of a reasonable quality during its first few years is that it wasn't afraid to spend a bit of money. Each local office was mainly made up of people with previous experience in television or fresh out of uni with relevant qualifications.

As some of you know, I produced a series for Made in Cardiff which later aired across the network, and my experience was very positive. We had their in house editors, camera and sound operators at our disposal if required. We took advantage of this for the first few episodes then got into our own stride. Obviously we got paid a production fee too, which I thought was a fair amount.

Had we just been chucked a couple of quid and left to our own devices without any guidance, the quality wouldn't have been anywhere near the same.
LO
Londoner
More on Manchester TV
https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2021/news/jpimedia-chairman-launches-new-regional-tv-channel/
SuperDave and London Lite gave kudos
JA
jaycee89 New member
I don't think it's necessary to spend a lot of money. The Zoom skype style newsgathering must be more sustainable?
MO
Mouseboy33
The BBC just published this article about the state of local tv in the UK due to the pandemic. What a mess.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55854307
BR
Brekkie
I don't think they can really blame the pandemic.
CraigWills and Rijowhi gave kudos
FB
Fluffy Bunny Feet
The BBC just published this article about the state of local tv in the UK due to the pandemic. What a mess.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55854307


Well what a surprise. I was at a local TV presentation at a local uni (with an impressive media hub) and was astonished by the naivety of the broadcaster's representative regarding news output. Half the students left during the break and did not return. What struck me as odd and also unfair to it's commercial rivals was the funding proposed, whereby any digital switch-over fund was granted to support the channel, and in return the local BBC might take some items. I can't recall seeing any on our local BBC.
IN
Interceptor
Quote:
"We're trying to run it as a commercially viable business consistent with the vision for local TV that Jeremy Hunt set out, which is some local news within a network channel," Mr Cass says.

I'm pretty sure that was specifically not the vision, as there's already 2 PSBs doing exactly that.
BR
Brekkie
How is the Kent channel doing? Initially that seemed relatively well resourced with multiple local shows and I think the local paper backing it up, and of course over the last couple of months Kent has been at the centre of two of the biggest stories of recent times with the Brexit issues and Kent variant.

Looks like they still have a nightly half hour bulletin plus regular sport, business and politics shows.
SL
Shaun Linden
I've just watched the Kent Tonight programme on KMTV online and it's a well put together programme, full of actual news. Even had update on what Matt Hancock had been saying in the daily briefing.

The strong partnership with the University and dedication from uni students paying off in their output.
Alfie Mulcahy and Brekkie gave kudos
RD
RDJ
Local TV seems like an afterthought after letting the main broadcasters shirk their regional responsibilities.

Local TV can work if the budget is there. ITV proved this as their local non-news output used draw high ratings if it was scheduled in a decent spot. But budget cuts combined with Ofcom allowing them to bring it down to the bare bones means that ITV just do the minimum that’s expected of them - with the only local non-news output being political shows once in a blue moon in a graveyard slot.

Local TV can’t work if there’s nothing decent to watch on it combined with minimal publicity. Which has been its downfall from the start. Local output needs to be combined with the big broadcasters on their main channels to gain a following and an audience - otherwise it can never compete.

Running a regional ITV franchise was once seen as a licence to print money. But that’s because they could combine regionality with big hitter shows. A dedicated local channel just doesn’t work to entice viewers to watch it - who are evidently interested in local programming given the high ratings the BBC/ITV Regional News frequently gets.
AN
all new Phil
It was very much made fun of here at launch, but Sheffield Live is still going strong with (quite lengthy) daily news, local sports and business programming. Very little (if any) in the way of filler through the likes of Judge Judy etc, overnight and daytime is a simulcast of their radio station with local info displayed on screen. Was interviewed myself a few months back for their news programme and they have well and truly taken advantage of Zoom as a means of producing local up-to-date content.
CO
commseng
Good to hear when local TV or radio stations do local content properly, so well done Sheffield and Kent.
Are there any others that currently offer something similar?
Local TV here is London is not something that I would ever think of for local news, but occasionally an old programme repeated from elsewhere is of interest.

Newer posts