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"The Government are committed to supporting local television and we very much hope to see an expansion of services

in the future.

"We envisage that local television will play a valuable role in keeping communities informed and in particular, help keep in touch those most socially isolated members of the community who may not have access, or are uneasy about using new technology.

"Local television will also bring economic benefits to areas in terms of employment and training...."

LORD McINTOSH, Minister for the Media and Heritage at DCMS, recognising that not everyone can or even wants to get their Local TV on computer or to be involved in new technology to get it, in his address to the Scottish Local TV Forum of March 2005.

                   * * * * *
FOR FIFTY YEARS , research for the television regulators has shown that viewers want a smaller-scale service, because regional TV has been too big to do justice to local stories.

The Campaign for Local TV believes that this should be free to air as a new public service, locally run
. by commercial operators or
. by the community or
. with the support of local authorities or
. through a combination of these three.
A chance to press for the introduction of that missing local tier of public service television arises NOW.
Petitions are running for provision to be made for a slot for a new, public service channel to be introduced during the switch from analogue to digital.

Such a channel is, at present, conspicuously lacking alongside all the shopping, quiz show, gambling and me-too channels!

 
Further, detailed info from:  www.maccess.org.uk/members/ilt.html