STV bids for Scottish local TV licences

Scottish broadcaster STV has submitted applications to UK regulator Ofcom to offer local TV in Aberdeen, Ayr and Dundee. 

The new applications have been submitted in partnership with universities and colleges in each of the three areas, and expand upon STV’s existing local TV commitments for Glasgow and Edinburgh.

STV’s application partners are Robert Gordon University and North East Scotland College in Aberdeen, the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) in Ayr, and Abertay University and Dundee and Angus College in Dundee.

The applications propose that the new local stations will deliver local news and current affairs content, with the local universities and colleges providing media students with the chance to learn and train in a live TV environment.

“We have demonstrated our ability to engage with local communities and deliver relevant, local content across STV’s multi-platforms, including the current STV Glasgow licence and our apps serving Scotland’s largest cities,” said director of channels at STV, Bobby Hain.

“STV believes that, working closely with our education partners, we can successfully deliver compelling services in these three additional areas across the 12 year licence.”

STV launched Scotland’s first local TV station in Glasgow on June 2, delivering the station in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University. STV claims that STV Glasgow reaches a monthly audience of over 500,000 in Glasgow and the west of Scotland, with “60% of the transmission area tuning in since launch.”

STV Edinburgh is due to launch in January 2015 in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University.