Ofcom awards new local TV network licences

UK broadcast regulator Ofcom has awarded local TV licences for digital terrestrial channels in Cambridge and Scarborough.

The Cambridge Presents and Yorkshire Coast TV channels will air using a discrete amount of spectrum that has been reserved for local TV broadcasting on DTT.

Ofcom said that it anticipates that local TV channels may also wish to offer their services on satellite, cable and online.
The two new channels are part of Ofcom’s second phase of local TV licensing.

In June Ofcom started taking local TV applications for seven new local areas – including Cambridge and Scarborough. It said it will consider the applications for the remaining five areas – Bangor, Middlesbrough, Mold, Swansea and York – in the coming months

Prior to the Cambridge and Scarborough channels, Ofcom already awarded 19 local licences, with the first channel, Grimsby’s Estuary TV, expected to go on air on November 26.

Earlier this year, Ofcom awarded a local TV multiplex licence to Comux UK. The local multiplex licence is for a period of 12 years and all local services will run until the same date.