Consultation outcome

Consultation on the renewal of local TV licences

From:: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Published: 7 June 2023
Last updated: 2 February 2024 — See all updates

Read the full outcome

Government response to the consultation on the renewal of local TV licences

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Detail of outcome

After considering responses to the consultation the government now intends to:

continue with the approach to renewal of the local TV multiplex licence put forward in the consultation. The government remains of the view that this approach will secure the best outcome for the local TV services, providing them with stability over the next licence period to lay the foundation for greater collaboration and investment across the sector
progress its preferred option of a conditional renewal process, led by Ofcom, for all 34 local TV services. The government remains of the view that this approach is most likely to successfully deliver our ambitions for the sector and address challenges faced by some local TV services, including in relation to their distinctiveness and financial sustainability; and
Maintain the current local TV objectives which it believes still act as a pivotal framework for local TV services to operate in, providing clarity for when they engage in the making of local content and ensuring that the main beneficiary of local TV output is the viewer

Detail of feedback received

The consultation had 37 responses, excluding incomplete and invalid responses which could not be processed. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to respond and share their experience, views and suggestions. All valid responses were considered in the development of policy and this government response.

The total of valid responses received were attributable to members of the public (some on behalf of organisations working in the sector), Members of Parliament, current licence holders, media and telecommunications companies and campaign groups working in the sector.

Original consultation

Consultation description

The licences for the local TV multiplex, and for all 34 local TV services, are due to expire on 25 November 2025. In the Broadcasting White Paper, Up Next, the government committed to changing the local TV licensing regime to enable the renewal of the local TV multiplex licence until 2034. This would mirror the changes to the national DTT multiplex licensing legislation made in 2021.

This 14-week consultation, which is open to both industry participants and members of the public, sets out the government’s proposals for the future of both the multiplex licence, and, in turn, the individual services across the UK.

In summary, the government is consulting on:

the arrangements for the renewal of the local TV multiplex licence and the conditions that will form part of this
the arrangements for the renewal, or relicensing, of the 34 individual local TV services currently operating across the UK, and the conditions that will form part of this

We are also seeking views on the current statutory objectives for local TV services.

A summary of in-scope responses submitted to this consultation and the government’s response will be published in due course, following the closure of the consultation.

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