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Teesside to get new TV station

Teesside will see the creation of a brand new TV channel after Ofcom awarded a new licence.

The new digital terrestrial TV (DTT) channel, given to Made in Teesside, will launch in 2014.

And it is promising a mix of new shows dedicated to the area including local news, current affairs, entertainment arts and culture.

Made in Teesside will go out to more than 500,000 people in the area and will be headed up by Adam Nolan, the former head of Boro TV.

It’s part of the national Made Television group, which has already won the licences for Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds and Newcastle.

The firm’s CEO Jamie Conway said: “We’re very proud to be the holders of the most licences and adding a dynamic and vibrant creative centre like Teesside is wonderful.”

Following new legislation enabling Ofcom to issue local TV licences the communications regulator has awarded 23 local TV licences.

The channels will be broadcast on DTT by the local multiplex, a discrete amount of spectrum reserved for local TV broadcasting on DTT.

The first local TV channel began broadcasting in Grimsby yesterday.

Mr Conway added: “As the licence holder for multiple channels we can certainly benefit from the economies of scale that are realised but let me make this very clear, this channel will be run by a local management team, staffed with a local production team and all editorial decisions will be made locally.

“It is as much about opportunities for local businesses as it is about local content – relying on national advertising misses the point. Local TV needs to be for local content and local advertisers. Big brands can already afford to advertise on TV.

“Let’s give small businesses the chance to communicate with their community.”

Station manager Mr Nolan said: “We have already lined up some fantastic partners to get involved in the creation of local content.

“Local TV is about places and faces and having a local presence is key, with the support of Teesside University, Middlesbrough FC, MIMA and the ARC amongst others, the support structure for great local productions is well on the way to being established and the area has a great track record in producing high quality programming.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .