Memorandum submitted by The Rural Media
Company
I understand that The Westminster Parliamentary
Committee on Culture Media and Sport is currently considering
whether Local TV should be accepted as a public service broadcaster.
On behalf of The Rural Media Company, I would like to strongly
support the proposal that Local TV should become part of local
broadcasting.
Having been producing community video content
with rural people and agencies for over 25 years we know well
the value that local broadcasting will bring to the improvement
and sustainability of rural communities. Last year, The Rural
Media Company worked closely with the BBC on the West Midlands
Local TV Pilot (see independent assessment by Prof Roger Laughton
November 2006) and demonstrated the huge level of interest from
the public, statutory and third sector service providers, politicians
and community leaders, local businesses etc. for genuine local
broadcasting. With the introduction of local broadcasting there
is a unique opportunity to link educational (media literacy),
vocational training (content production), economic (media enterprise),
service innovation (communication, access, consultation), with
social cohesion and regeneration agendas.
We ask the Committee to recommend to the Secretary
of State issuance of an Order of License and the announcement
that Local TV on digital terrestrial television shall be introduced
and regulated as public service broadcasting.
January 2007
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