CITY TV LAUNCHES BID FOR LOCAL TV

City TV Broadcasting Ltd has announced it will file an application to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to acquire television licences in a minimum of five cities across the United Kingdom.  It will locate its head of operations in Birmingham.  

“We are joining a local television revolution in this country,” said Debra Davis, Managing Director. “This is about providing local consumers with quality local programming and providing business with affordable but targeted advertising options in key markets.” 

“Our plan is to provide up to six hours per day of live programming in Birmingham and a comparable number of hours in other mid-sized UK markets,” said Davis.  “We are building this plan from the bottom-up, based on what people want in local markets and based on the economics of local advertisers. This model has worked in other jurisdictions and we are confident that we will be successful.”  

“The starting point must be local; experience in local television and local content.  We will attract both,” said Davis.   “It is essential that local television is not disguised as regional.  City TV will be inclusive and must get to the heart of local.   Productions – written, produced, directed and shot locally – can be shared across the network to fill out an ambitious schedule. Local news is a vital part of the plan. Acquired programming must be relevant to every day audiences in every day towns and cities across the UK.   Local must be diverse, urban, intelligent, edgy and high quality.” 

City TV Broadcasting Ltd intends to build a consortium of affiliated local stations coming together as a cooperative able to share or acquire programming across markets and share back room costs, management standards and production values.  The expression of interest submitted to government authorities emphasizes that national advertising revenue must be used for operations at the local level and not kept centrally to beef up executive costs at a national network level.  

“In addition to national advertising we will make advertising on television more affordable and attractive to the local advertising market.  And there are a number of ways to do this with strategic alliances and truly inclusive engagement with viewers,” contends Davis.   “At a time when advertising spend has been reduced, access to affordable local television will attract local advertisers in instances where costs for national or regional channels are too high and the advertising reach too wide.”

City TV Broadcasting has brought in the expertise of Jacques de Suze to support its vision.  De Suze was a key figure in the development of the Citytv network in Canada, mainland Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. The kaleidoscopic, energetic approach of Citytv Toronto rapidly caught the imagination of broadcasters in major North American cities in the 1980s and 90s and the format eventually spread internationally.

Furthering the debate, de Suze recommends that 50% or more of paid local public service messages be placed on a local TV channels and that local stations should be a ‘must carry’ in their market areas for all cable systems and distribution services such  as BT, Freesat and Freeview.   “Local governments can also contribute by opening up access to locations, information and video sources such as traffic cameras, council meetings and local events,” says de Suze.

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For more information on City TV Broadcasting Ltd, or to arrange an interview, email: debradavis@citytvbroadcasting.co.uk ; telephone:  0121 440 1997.

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EDITORS NOTE:

CITY TV BROADCASTING LTD

Jacques de Suze was a key figure in the development of the Citytv concept in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.  At Chum International, de Suze was responsible for expansion activities in the areas of format licensing and station franchising based on the internationally acclaimed Citytv, MuchMusic and Hollywood Star! formats. He developed and launched TV channels/stations with innovative content, social & political relevance, viewer interaction and high brand awareness. These projects included Citytvs in Bogotá, Barcelona, Beirut, Helsinki and Manchester.

As President of a major US media research and consulting company (McHugh & Hoffan, Inc.) de Suze developed new domestic and international business, working with clients to develop revenue and audience building strategies. He consulted with Guardian Media Group, BBC, NBC, ABC, ITV, ITN, Time Warner International, France Televisions, Alma Media, Central European Media Enterprises, CNN, Euronews and others.

 For the U.S. State Department de Suze served as consultant for Public Diplomacy in Lebanon and The Gulf and chaired the first conference on independent media in the Middle East.

 Debra Davis has had a thirty-year career in communications — starting in Montreal in the creative department of an advertising agency, followed by 17 years in Ottawa working for three Prime Ministers (Rt Hon Pierre Trudeau 1979-1984; Rt Hon John Turner 1988; and Rt Hon Jean Chretien 1989-1997).  Debra joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade ( www.international.gov.ca) in 1997 and was appointed Counsellor (Public Affairs) to the Canadian High Commission in London in August 1997.

 Debra has a unique knowledge of the working of Birmingham as the former  Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Birmingham City Council (2007-2010) responsible for international affairs, national and regional affairs, news management, marketing/PR and campaigns and creative services which included graphic design, publications and social media.