The company behind Latest magazine is bidding to run the proposed new national television network from Brighton.
Latest Homes already broadcasts Latest TV.
Now it hopes to take control of Channel 6 – the government’s planned network of local TV stations.
The government wants the channel to broadcast a mix of national and local programmes.
Latest founder Bill Smith said: “Brighton and Hove has never had its own television studios and television channel that you can watch easily in your front room, the same as you can watch BBC or ITV.
“Neither BBC nor ITV have studios in our city so our local news comes from Southampton or Maidstone.
“Also, if you work as a doctor or a plumber you can work in Brighton in your industry.
“If you work in television you basically have to go to London.
“Latest Homes / 7 started Latest Television to put this right.
“We are already broadcasting online, featuring events, news and political interviews from across the city.
“Now we’ve been joined by Juice FM and Wired Sussex.
“We’ve also formed an advisory board with Mike Weatherley MP, Simon Kirby MP, Mary Mears, the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, John Shewell, head of corporate communications at Brighton and Hove City Council, and other leading figures in the community.
“We have applied to the government to administer the whole new national network for local television from Brighton.
“If we win, Brighton will immediately become a very powerful player in the UK television industry and we aim to win.”
Mr Smith added that he was willing to receive help and ideas to turn the scheme into reality.
If the bid for Latest TV is successful can I expect programmes it to be available on Freeview C6 please?
Yes our channel will be on freeview and probably will be channel 8.
Thanks for your interest and feel free to contact me directly if you want any more info.
All best wishes. Bill
How will this work? Will it be like the old style itv with different regional programming at certain times, or more like the american networks where local tv joins a network for main programming?
It will be 24/7 tv channel for Brighton and around so can be subject to finance whatever we want it to be. Likeliest scenario is a channel like BBC 4 which broadcasts for say 4 or 5 hours every night. My e mail is bill@thelatest.co.uk if you want to get involved or know more.
Did you live in Taunton Bill?