Made In Tyne and Wear TV has been awarded the licence for local television in Newcastle, fighting off competition from the likes of Neon TV, which was fronted by two former regional editors.
The licence means the station has won the right to broadcast to some 900,000 households in the Newscastle area.
Losing out alongside Neon TV, which was led by ex-Newcastle Evening Chronicle editor Paul Robertson and Rob Lawson, formerly editor of the Sunderland Echo editor, were Metro8 Newcastle and YourTV Newcastle.
Lawson joined the venture in October after resigning from his role amid Johnston press cutbacks.
Made in Tyne and Wear will work in partnership with Trinity Mirror’s regional title The Newcastle Chronicle.
In its application to Ofcom it insisted it would be “editorially independent”, but that if it was awarded the licence “the natural synergy with The Newcastle Journal is one that will be explored”.
After hearing the news, Made In’s station manager Tony Hazell said: “We’re thrilled to be awarded this licence after many years of hard work by the team.
“Tyne and Wear is already a creative capital with some fantastic TV companies based here and a strong history in production.
“Made in Tyne & Wear will be different, though, as we’ll be focusing on local programming by and for local viewers.
“A station dedicated to news, sports, local events, what’s on and a chance for us all to share what Tyne & Wear is to us. That’s what the media landscape here needs.”
The bid is one of a number submitted by Made In Ltd, and is the third station, after Made In Bristol and Made In Cardiff, to win its bid.
Chief executive Jamie Conway said: “This is going to be a fantastic opportunity for both programme makers and advertisers to speak directly to their communities.
“Add to that, our plans to deliver content and interaction across tablets, mobiles, IPTV and VOD services as well as our second-screen strategies, and we’re confident that the people of Tyne & Wear will be engaging with us as soon as we launch.”
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