Comux launches Local TV

Comux UK, community-owned business selected by Ofcom to build and operate the UK’s new local TV broadcasting platform, will launch the service under the name Local TV.

Announced at the Edinburgh International Television Festival today, Local TV will be public facing brand of the local TV service and will be responsible for raising awareness and providing information about the new local TV stations and programming through the getcloser.tv website.

“This agreement marks a key stage in the development of local TV and we will soon see the first station begin broadcasting,” said UK culture minister Ed Vaizey.

“The first station to hit the airwaves will launch an entirely new media industry in the UK.  These stations are creating new jobs in our communications and creative industries, and providing people with a fresh way to be informed about their local communities.”

The news comes in the same week that Comux announced infrastructure partners for the local TV service. These included transmission services firm Arqiva, channel management software provider Phoenix7, technical broadcast architect Techex and system integrator TSL.

The service will initially launch in 19 major UK cities and towns, starting with Grimsby in November and rolling out to the rest over the following months.

Local TV and the local television service is a government initiative that has been executed by broadcast regulator Ofcom with oversight from the BBC’s governing body the BBC Trust. The Trust agreed as part of the BBC’s licence fee settlement in 2010 to make up to £40 million (€46.8 million) available to help establish local television until March 2017.