New Canis division to help Local TV applicants

Broadcast consultancy group Canis Media has launched a service designed to help local TV operators gain a licence and operate in the 65 towns and cities that the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has named as suitable for the distribution of local TV over Freeview.


Canis Local TV is a consultancy and advisory service targeting those contemplating bidding for a UK local TV licence. It will provide business planning and modelling, research expertise, advertising and teleshopping/DRTV management, technical consultancy, and assist with the creative development and commercialisation of content.

“Many of the interested parties considering entering the local TV market do so without a background in broadcasting,” said Ed Hall, chief executive, Canis Media Group. “We have set-up Canis Local TV to ensure that applicants have a robust business plan that can win a licence and that those awarded a licence can be commercially successful. Canis Local TV has been formed to provide all the broadcast, commercial and production services local TV operators will need to avoid the pitfalls and capitalise on the opportunities available to them.”

DCMS has consulted on the new framework for local TV in the UK. Any necessary legislation is expected to be laid between the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. Subject to this, Ofcom will then consult on its awards process and issue a draft invitation to apply for local licences, which is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2012. Ofcom expects to award the first tranche of local content licences in the third quarter of 2012. The first local services are likely to commence broadcasting a year later.

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