Ofcom begins local digital TV consultation

Ofcom has launched a consultation about the rules under which blocks of spectrum could be allocated for the provision of local TV channels on digital terrestrial television.

The media regulator has proposed to offer, early next year, channel 30 from the Wenvoe transmitter, covering Cardiff, and channel 57 from Winter Hill, covering Manchester, for potential use by low-power digital TV multiplexes. Cardiff and Manchester already have local TV stations operating under restricted TV service licences, and Ofcom plans to offer other such low-power allocations in other metropolitan areas with existing analogue local TV services as switchover happens across the country.

A second tranche of spectrum lots will be awarded in a combined fashion at a further 25 transmitter sites in 2010. These lots could be used to broadcast local TV services in areas considered by Ofcom "likely to be large enough to support a broadcasting station" or could be aggregated such that one multiplex operator would be able to offer a selection of channels on a quasi-national basis, to those metro areas where such spectrum is available.

Although Ofcom has said the spectrum would be "suitable for local television", it has chosen to not restrict its use to this type of broadcasting. Each licence has a reserve price of £10,000 and will have an initial term lasting to 2016.

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