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Local TV applications for York, Cambridge and others open

Ofcom has begun the second phase of Local TV licensing, inviting applications from York and Cambridge as well as Bangor, Middlesbrough, Mold, Scarborough and Swansea.

These seven cities and towns will be the first of the second phase of locations where potential Local TV broadcasters will be able to bid for a licence to run a channel for 12 years.

Ofcom wants submissions for these seven places handed in by September 11 this year and anticipates that channels could be live by the end of 2014. Bidding for the remaining second phase Local TV areas will commence early next year. 

A detail of the York Minster in all its decorated gothic glory

Read Recombu Digital’s guide to Local TV in the UKThere’s 23 other Local TV areas in total, but Ofcom is considering merging four of these into two single channels.

Tonbridge and Maidstone and Hereford and Gloucester might become one in a similar way to how Blackpool and Preston are due to share one Local TV broadcaster. 

Should that not work out, here’s a complete list of all 30 of the second phase Local TV areas.

Aberdeen Ayr Bangor
Barnstaple Basingstoke Bedford
Bromsgrove Cambridge Carlisle
Derry/Londonderry Dundee Guildford
Hereford Inverness Kidderminster
Limavady Luton Maidstone
Malvern Middlesbrough Mold
Plymouth Reading Salisbury
Scarborough Stoke on Trent Stratford upon Avon
Swansea Tonbridge York

Ofcom has revealed that over 40 different organisations have expressed interesting in running Local TV stations in these areas. 

Local TV channels in England and Northern Ireland will appear on Freeview channel 8. In Scotland and Wales, Local TV will appear on Freeview channel 45 instead. 

Image credit: Flickr user Glen Bowman

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