[Brekkie]

It wouldn't be so bad either if the local channels were delivering any meaningful local content in the local slots themselves - but they're not. They're just someone standing in the street introducing low quality often quite generic news reports. Really should be a requirement for non-news local content too, as indeed all the licences had originally.

[Technologist]

Here is the statement/warning from OFCOM
www.ofcom.org.uk 

News must be local and quality and in Peak hours etc etc

[eyeTV]

I'm not in a Made TV (Local TV) area so don't know what their programmes are like, but even by taking the Talk TV schedule they appear to have considerably more slots for local content than That's TV areas.

6-8am, 1-2pm, 6-7pm, 9-10pm

So 5 hours of 'local' content. Whereas That's TV have a pathetic 2 x 15 mins slot. What goes out in these timeslots and is it any good? The rest of the time is Talk TV so a lot of schedule to fill again when that comes to an end.

I honestly think That's TV though should be asked to surrender the licence.

[eyeTV]

Here is the statement/warning from OFCOM
www.ofcom.org.uk 

News must be local and quality and in Peak hours etc etc

Why have they waited until licence renewal to issue this? This situation has been allowed to slide on Ofcom's watch to the point that the localness for the majority of these services is worthless. They could have just regulated the services properly this whole time.

[lookoutwales]

What goes out in these timeslots and is it any good?

A lot of the Local / Made half-hour blocks tend to be made up of generic / Shots TV content (the type of which OFCOM appeared to be targeting in that statement) - and decidedly low on quality.

At most, ‘local’ content might be a package, a brief news round-up and a weather forecast, so about 5-6 minutes worth in a single block.

Talked about what That’s churn out in Manchester already - not terribly great quality either - though in that area at least, the entire bulletin was at least wholly local to Greater Manchester (don’t know if that’s the case in all of their licence areas) even though it was all packed into ten minutes.

[Brekkie]

RXTV sum up OFCOM's position quite well. Basically calling for an end of them just re-ordering a news bulletin to pass it off as new and that getting local voxpops on a national story shouldn't be considered local news.

rxtvinfo.com 

Ofcom tells local TV channels to shape up or lose licence > RXTV info
UK broadcast regulator has written to local TV channel operators to remind them …
  Source: rxtvinfo.com

[Neil Jones]

I wonder, if Ofcom didn't renew any of the licences and just put them back out to tender, would anybody seriously be bothered to apply for the Local TV licences at this juncture?

[Keith]

Although I suspect the secretary of state will have the final say regardless of what Ofcom want so... hmm.

It's worth noting that according to the RXinfo article the licence renewals will be occurring next year, rather than this year. By that time a general election will have taken place, and based on current polling it's highly likely there will be a change of government.

This means that there's less pressure for whoever is secretary of state to rubber stamp the renewals. After all the local TV was originally announced in 2010 by the then Culture Secretary as one of his / the government's flagship projects. Had the renewals been this year then a rubber stamp renewal would be far more likely, given that Jeremey Hunt is now Chancellor of the Exchequer.

I think it's fair to say that the majority of 'local TV' stations have been on a p-take in recent years with regards to their local requirements. It would be nice to see OFCOM enforce these guidance, and give those not meeting it a much shorter 1 (or 2) year extension in which time they must meet the requirements or be axed. I'm guessing issuing this reminder now is designed to give the local TV companies time to improve before renewal.

A tie-up with GB News for simulcasts instead of Talk TV could be mutually beneficial. It's been noted in Private Eye recently how very few of GB News' regional correspondents who were appointed at launch remain, with those positions not being filled after individuals have left or changed role. I imagine that GB News could tweak their daytime schedule to allow for a couple half hour opt-outs for local TV to meet their requirements, whilst GB News benefitted from exposure on channel 6/7.

---

I wonder, if Ofcom didn't renew any of the licences and just put them back out to tender, would anybody seriously be bothered to apply for the Local TV licences at this juncture?

I doubt anyone would bother to apply for a local TV licence, unless it was an existing channel that wanted exposure on channel 6/7 and was prepared to have a few opt-outs for local TV in its schedule.

[Brekkie]

Not sure the Local and That's TV network are signed up to BARB so not sure if simulcast ratings are included - the news this week would suggest they made little difference to Talk TV.

[all new phil]

It's worth noting that according to the RXinfo article the licence renewals will be occurring next year, rather than this year. By that time a general election will have taken place, and based on current polling it's highly likely there will be a change of government.

This means that there's less pressure for whoever is secretary of state to rubber stamp the renewals. After all the local TV was originally announced in 2010 by the then Culture Secretary as one of his / the government's flagship projects. Had the renewals been this year then a rubber stamp renewal would be far more likely, given that Jeremey Hunt is now Chancellor of the Exchequer.

I think it's fair to say that the majority of 'local TV' stations have been on a p-take in recent years with regards to their local requirements. It would be nice to see OFCOM enforce these guidance, and give those not meeting it a much shorter 1 (or 2) year extension in which time they must meet the requirements or be axed. I'm guessing issuing this reminder now is designed to give the local TV companies time to improve before renewal.

A tie-up with GB News for simulcasts instead of Talk TV could be mutually beneficial. It's been noted in Private Eye recently how very few of GB News' regional correspondents who were appointed at launch remain, with those positions not being filled after individuals have left or changed role. I imagine that GB News could tweak their daytime schedule to allow for a couple half hour opt-outs for local TV to meet their requirements, whilst GB News benefitted from exposure on channel 6/7.

---

I doubt anyone would bother to apply for a local TV licence, unless it was an existing channel that wanted exposure on channel 6/7 and was prepared to have a few opt-outs for local TV in its schedule.

It’s unlikely to happen, but I’d love to see Sky take them on. They’ve trialled it previously so it’s clearly something they’ve considered once upon a time. It’s not like they don’t have the content to fill out the schedule.