[CMA TV] Solent TV axes launch plans

[Michelle McGuire]

Solent TV axes launch plans
Susan Thompson
15 February 2006 09:49

Solent TV has axed plans to launch on the Sky platform due to lack of  
funding.
The station had hoped to be the first local channel to roll out to a  
national audience. The station's output will still be available  
terrestrially, on Wight Cable and on the internet.

Investment intended for the launch on Sky - which had meant to happen  
on 14 March - will be ploughed into these existing services.
"We are extremely sad to have to make this decision," said John  
Stevenson, chairman of Solent TV. "But the deadlines were extremely  
tight and by last Friday [10 February] it became clear that these  
could not be met as contracts were still being negotiated.

He added: "It is devastating at this late stage to see our plans come  
to this - but to embark on such a large-scale project without  
everything in place would have necessitated the premature shutdown of  
our terrestrial and web based services - a decision we felt was not  
in the best long-term interests of Solent.

Source: broadcastnow.co.uk


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Michelle McGuire
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