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Why do you think your town or city should be among the first of those selected to bid for a
local TV licence?
Stratford-upon-Avon is a perfect location to be one of the pioneer locations in the UK. It is uniquely
placed in terms of population, culture and the local economy to support a Local TV station. With a
self-contained locality distinguishable from big cities and towns around it, and with established TV
production houses and facilities in the district, we believe that Stratford-on Avon can provide a
blueprint model to prove the success and viability of Local TV in market-town, semi-rural locations,
making it a strong candidate to be in the first wave.
The ethos behind the Local TV ethos has been outlined as creating a ‘step-change in the media
market’ and to provide dedicated news services ‘specific to particular localities rather than
regions’. Stratford-upon-Avon has the right combination of need, appetite and resources to support
and sustain a service. Furthermore, First Look TV has the requisite skills, experience and
commitment for launch.
The broadcast area will cover Stratford, Warwick, Leamington Spa and Kenilworth, with a population
of over 250,000. There is a strong need for local news covering this area, currently falling outside of
the priorities of any regional television new outlet, which prefer to look to larger urban areas such as
Birmingham, Coventry or Leicester to the North, or Oxford to the South. It is relatively selfcontained with a strong sense of community and identity. The issues and interests of the area are
specific and often rural in nature, As a result, it has a lively local news output in the form of the
Stratford Herald and the Leamington Courier, with a combined circulation of over 25,000 copies per
week as well as a commercial local radio station. We estimate that Local TV in Stratford could have
an average weekly reach of over 30,000.
In terms of appetite, this community is passionate about the area and has a strong sense of identity
and loyalty. There is also an active interest in local issues and a strong tradition of community
action, volunteering and participation. Local TV will give them the opportunity to showcase these
efforts and encourage even more interaction. Events like the Food, Book, Music and River festivals
will have a platform for promotion and coverage. That is, perhaps, why Stratford District Council are
enthusiastic about a potential channel as a means to working with the local community and
encouraging political involvement.
There is also a rich source of content within and around the area. We have a vibrant cultural
heritage and superb local arts, food and events output. Therefore we will be able to give the viewer
so much more than ‘cat up a tree’ stories or debates about the bins.
Our research tell us that there is a great deal of grassroots support for bringing Local TV to the area,
and a rich supply of investors and advertisers. We have already had positive support from
organisations such as:
Royal Shakespeare Company
Stratford District Council
Swan Orchestra
Shipston Home Carers
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust
Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Nadhim Zahawi, M.P.
As for resources, the area has a strong local business community and a relatively buoyant economy,
with a good household incomes and expenditure. The healthy numbers of hospitality and service
industries will hopefully welcome a new avenue to advertise and attract new customers. We have
already approached many members of the business community who support the project and are
keen to be involved.
Business leaders such as
Denys Shortt (Chairman on DCS Enterprises and Leader of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP)
Richard Smith (Opus Land)
Emma Holman West (Alscot Estate)
Currently, there are no opportunities for local businesses to advertise on TV. Regional and National
television is too expensive and insufficiently targeted. The only routes available at the moment are
local press and local radio, which combined have revenues of nearly £1m per annum. However, we
are confident that the required £10k per week in advertising revenue could be found for TV. There
would also be minimal impact on other media as this would not replicate what is already in place, but
rather give greater opportunity for product placement and advertiser funded features.
It is also an area rich in creative skills and resources. FirstLookTV, based in Stratford, has a strong
track record in award winning journalism and factual programme making, as well as live television
and post-production. It has a high number of television professionals living in the area, thanks
largely to it proximity to Birmingham. There is also a strong journalistic base in both the Stratford
Herald and Leamington Courier local newspapers and local radio service. Furthermore, the nearby
Warwick University and Stratford College can provide a valuable source of eager and willing talent.
In addition to this, there is real potential to join up and connect with the many digital creatives in the
area to provide a multi-platform, integrated service that can be both a news service for the local
community and a creative service benefitting local businesses, producing video content and
marketing opportunities, as well as encouraging investment into the local creative industry.
Despite Stratford’s small size, we are confident that we can provide a more comprehensive service
than one hour a day suggested minimum, which will provide even greater revenues and investment
in the local economy. Although television distribution would be the main focus, there are also
possibilities for a strong online presence. Any commercial model for a local TV service in Stratfordupon-Avon also has the potential to draw upon the local, national and international cache of the area
to attract viewers (and further revenue) online. Stratford is also likely to be able to drawn on a
share of the £5million acquisition pledged by the BBC in the formative years, thanks to its access to
the RSC and other cultural sites and organisations.
Stratford is unique in its international outlook and worldwide appeal. The core news service will be
broadcast in the local area and centre very much on issues affecting the local community. However,
the capacity for online streaming enables the content to be seen much further afield, providing a
global window into Stratford and all it has to offer. There are currently 4.5 million visitors to Stratford
every year, making it the 6th most visited place in the country. Local TV, through its arts and lifestyle
content, would create a portal service, providing a valuable resource for future visitors as well as a
unique opportunity for local businesses to target their services.
In summary, there is a strong case to pioneer Local TV in a town such as Stratford-upon-Avon. It
has the need and appetite for local news, not currently served by regional television. More
importantly, it has the necessary financial viability thanks to a strong business community,
broadcasting talent and the potential to tap into wider revenue streams through its international
appeal. This, combined with passion and enthusiasm, could create a powerful service and an
exemplary pioneer.