[comtv-l] Fwd: Local TV - consultation deadline 23 Sept

[CMA-L]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve Buckley <sbuckley at gn.apc.org>

Dear all

Earlier this month CMA and Sheffield City Council hosted a national
consultation event on DCMS proposals for local television. Over 50
participants converged on Sheffield from as far afield as Scotland,
London and the South West. The event was supported by CM Solutions,
Cultural Industries Quarter Agency and Showroom/Workstation who are
also working, as part of a wider consortium, to develop a Sheffield
local television channel. There was a strong consensus among those
present that, although the general commitment to develop local TV
should be warmly welcomed, the proposal to require local TV channels
to use a single monopoly provider (MuxCo) for transmission should be
rejected. Instead the local TV channels should be free to own and
operate their own transmission systems, in the same way that community
radio currently does.

The deadline for comments to DCMS is Friday 23 September. Please join
us and others in calling on Jeremy Hunt to say No to the MuxCo
monopoly.

Responses should be sent to: local.tv at culture.gsi.gov.uk

For those of you that missed the event or are beavering away on a more
detailed response to the DCMS consultation, below is a summary of the
conclusions and recommendations and attached is a copy of my
presentation to the event.

Best wishes

Steve

//
Local Television Forum, Sheffield 6 September 2011

A national workshop for local television stakeholders, hosted by the
Community Media Association and Sheffield City Council, with the
support of Showroom/Workstation, Cultural Industries Quarter Agency
and CM Solutions.

Summary of conclusions and recommendations

a.      Content and market

- Similar to the community radio model we want the licences to be
framed by ‘key commitments’ – they should be local licences, for local
communities, meeting local needs, supporting the local economy,
promoting citizen participation in media, linking with other providers
,eg hyperlocal websites, and encourage networking with other stations

- However training is done, it is this which gives people the
capability to participate and transferrable skills for life

- Concern about what kind of restrictions there might be on how news
is delivered in terms of requirements on balance

- Consideration should be given to some kind of limit on profit to cap
return on investment, for example CIC models

b.      Distribution models

- A monopoly supplied or transmission services is not to the advantage
of local TV, there are a range of potential services providers, costs
are relatively affordable.

- Stations should have the right to establish their own transmission
system rather than be dependent on a single multiplex operator

- Some local channels might want to resell the spare multiplex
capacity, e.g. to a shopping channels to contribute to their
sustainability. This should be permitted.

- Transmission sites don’t need to be located on existing transmission
masts. There should be flexibility to allow the local services to
identify alternative transmission sites

- Some local TV stations would not want responsibility for
transmission. They should be free to buy in services

- Cable is an important alternative transmission medium. The
government should assure that negotiations with the cable operator are
fair and linked to a must carry obligation

- The capital investment should be available to the local TV providers
for investment that can demonstrate contribution to sustainability
(not only the transmission infrastructure)

c.      Costs and funding

- Local TV might not be commercially viable without the back up of
government in terms of loan or grant funding

- Advertising is considered a crucial revenue source to survive

- Government could also act as a guarantor for initial costs

- BBC could assist with audience measurement for local TV

- Costs could be reduced by federation and cooperation between local
TV providers  – bulk buying, bulk sales etc
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