YORK’S bid to have its own TV channel has moved a step closer to becoming a reality.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced the 65 locations, which include York and Scarborough, in the running to launch the local TV services which he has championed.
The towns and cities, which have been chosen because they have the appropriate transmitter coverage, will be whittled down to around 20 by the end of the year. The Yorkshire and Humber nominations include: Grimsby – including parts of Hull – Keighley, Leeds – which includes Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield and Wakefield – Scarborough, Sheffield – which includes parts of Rotherham – and York.
York’s bid is strengthened by the University of York’s new department of theatre, film and televisio,n which moved into its new complex in September 2010, and represents £24 million of local investment.
The facilities, comprising a 200-seat theatre, two professional television studios, a cinema, post-production and new media laboratories, and rehearsal rooms, can compete commercially with the best in the country.
Nicola Spence, chief executive, Science City York, said: “For York to be recognised as a possible pioneer location for local digital terrestrial television is a really positive step towards realising the city’s collective ambition for a local TV platform. There remains a lot of work to do in taking our bid forward but its all to play for.
We will be putting our best case forward to present York as an exemplar for delivering this service for the community.”
Each area will now be asked to make the case for why its town should be among those awarded a licence by Ofcom, with the first wave due next year.
Tune into York
YORK is in the running to host one of a new generation of local TV stations. Having been short-listed, we now have to make the case for why we should be chosen.
We think a local TV station would be great for York. This is a city with a distinct character and voice all its own. Regional TV alone can’t do it justice.
Now we just have to persuade Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt...
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