TV production giant Ten Alps has confirmed it is planning to bid to provide local TV news in a number of regions when ITV gives up.
In its end-of-year results this morning, the company founded by singer-turned-political campaigner Bob Geldof also said it was planning more public sector TV launches similar to the council-funded Kent TV project that has angered local newspapers.
Tomorrow’s Digital Britain report is expected to back the idea of independent local news consortia, funded with up to £100m of public cash, to fill the hole left when ITV backs away from regional news.
“Ten Alps has expressed a strong interest in bidding in any public sector tenders in the local news field under the current Digital Britain review, particularly in Northern Ireland, the North West, the North East and the Midlands, in each of which region Ten Alps has an indigenous production presence,” the company said today.
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Ten Alps said Kent TV saw a rise in viewing figures during the year. Another council-funded service, Fermanagh TV, launched in May and the company said it planned to roll out more in the coming year.
The group also produces a number of documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4 and owns a customer and B2B publishing division, specialising in defence, education and health.
Group revenue in the year to the end of March fell 1.5 per cent to £80.2m. Net profit was up 7.1 per cent to £3m.
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