[cma-l] URGENT! Last Chance for community media organisations to influence Digital Britain!!

[Phil Shep]

Here is a template for a letter of support for Local TV to be URGENTLY
addressed to the Secretary of State at the following address:

Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport
Department for Culture Media & Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH

You might wish to preface the letter with a sentence like

'We are a licensed community radio station but have serious aspirations to
move into local TV as well ...

We write on behalf of (------) in support of the United for Local Television
(³ULTV²) proposals advocating the universal availability of public service
local television.

We are aware that the future shape of public service broadcasting (PSB) in
Britain is now at a crucial stage and that a local television network, a
Channel 6 on Freeview is now being seriously considered as a PSB provider.
We welcome this idea unreservedly.

We recognise that a universally accessible service is not something that can
be achieved now or in the foreseeable future on broadband alone.  An
accessible terrestrial Local TV network of 50-80 + stations will be truly
local and universal and will create hundreds of jobs all over the country.
We are after all one of the few countries in Europe not to already have such
a network in place.

ULTV have identified a number of  'models' for running each local public
service broadcasting station, dependent on local preferences and funding.
Some will involve local authorities; some may not.  The business models
exist to make this work.

All over the UK numerous community media groups make engaging, popular
programmes for which there are almost no broadcast outlets, particularly
since the demise of regional ITV.  Local TV would change that frustrating
scenario which does so much to hold back creativity, community empowerment
and mutual understanding.

Local TV can offer:
*  creative content from diverse marginalised and hard to reach communities
*  extensive access to content from the voluntary sector through local
partnership working
*  a grass roots shop-window to promote government initiatives
*  access for viewers to a network of participation and engagement
*  signposts for viewers to informal learning opportunities

We understand that spectrum could be released for a Local TV network, that
technically it is entirely feasible. We support ULTV¹s assertion that the
opportunity cost that might be seen as Œlost¹ by gifting spectrum to Local
TV, would be more than compensated for by the social gains to be generated
from such a service.  The Public Voice coalition has evidenced this claim in
some detail.

We know that ULTV have held positive talks with local newspaper groups and
with the BBC.  We believe that Local TV can play a vital role in a new,
strategic pattern for regional media, indeed that Local TV can be a key
player in local public service broadcasting.
 
We believe in summary that building on the great success of community radio,
Local TV is vital to the future of local democracy.

We thank you for your support for Local TV to date and would urge you to
seize this opportunity to bring it to reality, as an all win for the future
health of our nations and regions.

Yours sincerely

etc