Updated / Eight local TV stations covering places including Birmingham, North Wales and Tyne and Wear have rebranded in the latest name change for the network.
- The former ‘Made TV’ channels have new names from today.
- The network of local channels is now being used to simulcast Murdoch owned TalkTV, with local programming inserted at various times of the day.
Local TV today announces the rebranding of its eight local TV stations under the Talk banner. Remaining wholly-owned by Local TV, the stations will retain their current focus on local content alongside the content they already broadcast from TalkTV.
The change comes ten months after a new partnership between the Montgomery Media owned local TV network and Murdoch’s News UK came into force.
At the beginning of the year, the eight channels replaced their previous content partner, CBS Reality, with News UK’s TalkTV. This followed a pilot after the death of the Queen which saw the local channels simulcast TalkTV’s coverage.
Local TV provides local news video services on Freeview Channels 7 & 8, Virgin Media Channel 159, online and social media in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, North Wales, Teesside and Tyne & Wear. That equates to five million homes or approximately 18% of all UK television households.
From today, the local channels have the following new names:
| Old | New |
|---|---|
| Birmingham TV | TalkBirmingham |
| Bristol TV | TalkBristol |
| Cardiff TV | TalkCardiff |
| Leeds TV | TalkLeeds |
| Liverpool TV | TalkLiverpool |
| North Wales TV | TalkNorthWales |
| Teeside TV | TalkTeesside |
| Tyne & Wear TV | TalkTyne&Wear |
TalkTV is simulcast on these channels from 08:00-13:00, 14:00-18:00, 19:00-21:00 and 22:00-02:00. During the remaining hours, the channels carry a loop of local news and information.
TalkTV is a news and opinion channel and the home of Jeremy Kyle, Piers Morgan and Vanessa Feltz.
Corporate comment
Lesley Mackenzie, Local TV CEO, said:
“Local TV remains entirely committed to its remit to serve local audiences with local content. This rebranding simply better articulates our proposition to our local audiences. Partnering with a national broadcaster is key to the model for local TV provision, and in TalkTV we have a partner who really adds value and is compatible to our offer.”
Richard Wallace, Head of TalkTV, commented:
“I’m delighted to extend our partnership with Local TV. These eight local stations benefit from the great content we’re producing within TalkTV, including the award-winning broadcast talent that is Piers Morgan, and content from our new-launch breakfast show, Talk Today, with Jeremy Kyle and Nicola Thorp.”
The channels broadcast on either Freeview channel 7 or 8, depending on region. Some services are also carried locally on cable. The channels are no longer broadcast on Sky.
Yet another change for local channels
For some channels this is the third in a series of name changes as local channel struggle to establish a foothold in the market.
Birmingham’s local channel launched less than 10 years ago as ‘Big Centre TV’ before becoming ‘Made in Birmingham’ in 2016. Just two years later, the channel changed again becoming ‘Birmingham TV’. Liverpool’s service has also undergone three changes in under decade.
The network has abandoned local production and studios in favour of a remote working model. This involves reports being filed to Local TV HQ for central playout.
Marc Thornham
Updated 12:28 with corporate comment and new logos.