Three in four Brits unaware of local TV station rollouts

Three quarters of Brits are unaware that a new local TV channel could be launching near them this year, even though 47 are due to roll out and a handful, like London Live, have already gone live, according to new research.

The poll, which was carried out by broadcast solutions provider BroadStream Solutions in conjunction with market researcher YouGov, found that a further 15% of respondents said they had heard of ‘local TV’ but don’t know where these channels are due to launch.

In spite of this, 50% said they would be interested in watching programmes relevant to their city or town, with news proving the category of programming that respondents said would be of most interest.

“There are certainly challenges ahead for the new breed of local TV channels launching this year, from creating the right content to finding the right way to generate income,” said BroadStream Solutions CEO Mark Errington.

“Local TV is in the midst of a five year programme to see if it can succeed where regional TV failed, but the key to success will be ensuring they strike the right balance between revenues and views.”

The UK’s local TV rollout has already resulted in the launch of channels like London Live, Mustard TV in Norwich, Notts TV in Nottingham, and Estuary TV in North Lincolnshire.