A radical proposal from the Channel 6 group is gaining strength, as the company intends to change the face of localised TV with their plans for UK provider Freeview.

While the likes of BBC and ITV are struggling with plans for local TV, the Channel 6 scheme is proposing that if it was to be awarded a spot on the Freeview EPG, it be able to ’support up to 200 completely independent local TV stations’ around the British Isles.

While local governments had been dismissive recently of renewed efforts towards regional TV, Channel 6 intend to use airspace freed up by Ofcom in order to support a maximum of 200 ‘local TV stations’, a move proposed to  made in partnership with 39 ‘locally-owned network affiliates’.

Such a move would see Channel 6 be a form of ‘hybrid’ network, by allowing channels to be funded directly as a lower-cost subsidary of Channel 6, or produce their own revenue through advertising sales as an independant ’affiliate’ channel.

Channel 6′s CEO Richard Horwood, stated that if the new local TV proposals were to go ahead, it would allow the culture secretary (who was at the forefront of downplaying the plans) to ‘have his cake and eat it too’.

Horwood said of his organisation’s project: “Under our new plan, those that don’t want to be affiliated to the national network can still draw on its valuable resources, while being completely free to operate and broadcast their own kind of programming in the way that suits their ambitions and their community.”

He continued: “Our Freeview transmission architecture, which has always been based on the so-called ‘Geographic Interleaved’ signal-buffering spectrum freed up by digital switchover, will allow for some 200 separate local areas to be served with their own independent channel, over and above our 39 local network affiliates. This is a far better solution than just hoping that standalone local channels can succeed without any support, and history has proven time and again that they simply can’t survive without help in the UK’s decidedly national TV market.”

Horwood summarised: “We agree with the consultation’s conclusion that there is no ‘one size fits all’ model. Now local operators have the choice of working with us as affiliates, using our support as independent stations, or providing non-commercial programming to our local community channels. In short, our new approach allows Jeremy Hunt to have his cake and eat it too.”

Meanwhile, Channel 6 have announced the first current broadcaster to get on board with the service as a network affiliate, with the long-running Channel 7 in Grimsby (England) joining the project.

Channel 7′s executive producer Lia Nici stated: “The Channel 6 affiliate model inevitably requires some common policies and procedures across the network, otherwise it couldn’t function, but it’s all about raising the standard of all local programming to what’s expected by viewers of UK TV channels and advertisers. We at Channel 7 are excited by the prospect of producing truly local programming with high production values, and engaging with a wider local audience across a range of TV platforms.”

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Crazy Matt Cazzy into all things hi-tech, gizmos and gadgets. If its just out, i want it. Loves watching tv on every device ever invented that can handle it

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