TV shopping channel bids for digital licences
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A TV shopping channel has emerged as a surprise contender for the licences vacated by ITV Digital, as the bidding process was extended yesterday.
Sirius Retail Television, a private company that runs a home shopping channel and a chat channel on BSkyB, has put in an expression of interest for the licences. It is now working up a full bid, which could be a stand-alone proposal or in conjunction with the free-to-air broadcasters, whom it is now talking to.
The Independent Television Commission, the regulator that awards commercial TV licences, announced that its specially speeded up 6-week bidding process for the digital terrestrial licences would not allow enough time for technical tests.
The new licences, for three DTT multiplexes, were to be awarded on 13 June. That will now be pushed back to 4 July. The extra time will also allow the terrestrial broadcasters, who have failed to agree on a joint submission, time to resolve their differences.
There are about six or seven parties that put in expressions of interest for the licences last weak, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and SDN, the Welsh service. MGt, a Scottish call centre group, has also come forward, and Crown Castle, the TV transmitter company, is said to have expressed interest too.
One of the major problems that dogged ITV Digital was inadequate signal strength. The testing, which is being carried out by the Digital TV Group, a technical advisory group, will see if reducing the number of channels on the multiplexes will improve the signal.
The Digital TV Group will report back to the bidders, who have to put in final proposals by 13 June, and to the ITC, which will be advised by Logica, the IT consultants.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments