[comtv-l] "Ofcom to kick off local TV spectrum sale" - BroadcastNow

[CMA-L]

Author: Kate McMahon - http://www.brodcastnow.co.uk/

Ofcom will auction off localised Freeview spectrum in Cardiff and
Manchester in February, kicking off a spree which could see dozens of
new community television stations spring up across the UK.

Speaking at the Westminster Media Forum on Local Media, Ofcom's
spectrum policy group's director of operations Matthew Conway said
there were 81 potential sites where spectrum could be sold to
community groups for localised broadcasting purposes.

Prices for the space will be auctioned off in an e-Bay style contest
with a provisional price tag of £10,000. Interested parties will be
invited to attend seminars leading up to the auction so they are
prepared for the sale, Conway said.

The first two lots would allow a group to transmit programmes via
channel 30 in Cardiff, Newport and much of Bristol and via channel 57
in Greater Manchester.

Under the conditions of the sale, local authorities, political parties
and religious organisations will be able to provide funding for the
licences, but will not be able to assert any editorial control on the
content the stations decide to broadcast.

Each frequency would be capable of carrying between three and 12
separate video streams.

The licences would be indefinite and tradeable, and would not come up
for review until at least 2026 unless the conditions of the licence
were breached or the licence was surrendered.

A second and third wave of individual spectrum auctions would be
carried out in 2010 and 2011 respectively. In addition to this, Ofcom
is planning to sell up to 25 "combined awards" which would mean one
owner or group could simultaneously acquire a string of licences
across the UK. These packages would be made available as the digital
switchover continued.

Conway said the leftover spectrum will be managed by a "band manager",
which will be appointed by 2010. The manager will act as a landlord
for the "blank space" and would be expected to fill the spectrum with
programmes and broadcasts from special community events.

Conway said he anticipated that the freed spectrum could provide a
home for existing community television networks which would be left
without a platform following the digital switchover, but stressed the
slots could be used for more than just local television.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008/12/ofcom_to_kick_off_local_tv_spectrum_sale.html


Community Media Association
-- 
http://www.commedia.org.uk/
http://twitter.com/community_media