Chris Johnson of Bay TV
If you’re looking for a slice of local television, then the operators of the soon-to-be-launched Bay TV Liverpool (BTVL) wants to hear from you.
It is offering local investors a ‘golden chance to get in on the ground floor’ of the aspiring station.
BTVL ranks as the fourth-largest of a new network of 30-plus local stations that are springing-up in towns and cities all over the UK, as part of an initiative created by the DCMS and fostered by the BBC.
The company, led by CEO Chris Johnson and Director of Programmes Chris Kerr, have three stations in the Bay TV family: Liverpool; Bay TV Clwyd, based in Mold, North Wales; and Bay TV Swansea.
The pair also maintain an interest in launching Bay TV Gwynedd, despite questions raised by Ofcom about the commercial viability of a station based in Bangor reaching only 16,000 homes on Freeview.
Introducing the offer to investors, Johnson said they were deeply committed to the concept of local TV and regard the advent of local stations on Freeview as a landmark event in a far-reaching revolution in broadcasting that will bring an utterly new dimension to UK broadcasting.
He said: “Without wishing to sound too mercenary, it has been fundamental for us to make commercial sales the first priority for Bay TV Liverpool and our sales team have already made great strides in recruiting customers.
“The results from our first quarter sales campaign have exceeded all forecasts and demonstrate that there is a massive demand from businesses who are eager to tap-into cost-effective TV advertising – many of them for the first time ever.”
Johnson declined to say how much outside investment the company wanted to attract but added: “We want people in Merseyside, the North West and Wales to have the opportunity to share in a company at an early stage with huge potential for growth.
“I honestly believe this is a golden chance for people who want to get-in on a growth industry on the ground floor, but the window is tight since we need expressions of interest by Monday 31 March.”
The Government is aiming to create some 60 new local TV stations around the country. The first 19 stations are due to start broadcasting at the end of April and include London Live, Made In Leeds and YourTV Manchester. Bay TV in Liverpool is due to launch on May 6.
Interested parties are invited to contact Chris Johnson via email at chrisjohnson@baytvliverpool.com
