sheffield local television

Local Digital TelevisionProgramme Service (L-DTPS)

Licence Application Form

Publication date:Updated:

10 May 201221 May 2012

To be completed by the applicant:

Applicant name: Sheffield Local Television Ltd

Proposed coverage area:

Sheffield

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About this form

Guidance and word limit

Applicants are advised to read the Ofcom document Invitation to Apply for an L-DTPS Licence (‘ITA’). This includes information regarding the legislative framework for local television and more detailed guidance on the questions in this application form.

Please answer all the questions in this form. Certain sections have a word limit, set at a level we consider appropriate for applicants to provide the information required. Ofcom may disregard any content beyond this limit.

Confidentiality

Ofcom will publish online a copy of each application. However, if applicants wish to give some answers in confidence, they can provide two versions of the application, one ‘full’ and one ‘for publication’. The fields that may be redacted are clearly indicated throughout, and relate to personal and financial information. We will try to respect these requests to keep information confidential, but sometimes we may need to publish applications in their entirety in order to meet legal obligations.

Provision of information

It is an offence under the Broadcasting Act 1996 (as amended) (the ‘1996 Act’) to provide false information to Ofcom or withhold relevant information from Ofcom in relation to an application for a broadcasting licence. A conviction for that offence may result in disqualification from holding broadcasting licences. Complete and accurate information is required so that Ofcom can assess applications against specific criteria and consider whether the involvement of individuals in the body applying for a licence are ‘fit and proper’ and that their involvement with other organisations does not disqualify them from participation in a local television licence.

Programming Commitments

Part of every Local Digital Television Programme Service (‘L-DTPS’) licence issued will include obligations in respect of the ‘Programming Commitments’. As part of this application we would like each applicant to draft their own proposed Programming Commitments. If you are awarded a licence, then subject to Ofcom’s agreement, this draft will form the basis of this part of your licence. It should summarise your programme output, including your commitments to local news and current affairs programming.

Accompanying media

This application form (fully completed and with any supporting documentation) is sufficient to apply for an L-DTPS licence. It is not necessary to accompany the application with a show-reel or any other media content, and the assessment of your application will not include assessment of any such material.

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Local Digital Television Programme Service (L-DTPS) Licence Application Form

Contents General questions

1. Service name 2. Proposed coverage and editorial area

3. Proposed launch date Programmes and programming output 4. Programming output Programming Commitments 5. Programming Commitments (to be drafted by applicant) About your organisation 6. Company details 7. Ownership Ability to maintain the service – management and operations 8. Management structure 9. Compliance 10. Director profiles 11. Staffing structure 12. Applicant’s experience 13. Risk 14. Character of service Ability to maintain the service – financial information 15. Financial information: funding and projections Contact information and declaration 16. Public contact details 17. Contact details for Ofcom 18. Concluding declaration

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1. Service name Guidance notes What is the proposed service name? The name you will use to identify the service within

broadcasts. Answer: SLTV / Sheffield Live

2. Proposed area Guidance notes What coverage area does this application relate to? This licence is advertised for an area based on

predicted transmitter coverage. Coverage areas are named for their principal conurbations, and are defined by the technical plan submitted by the successful applicant for the local multiplex licence. We are requiring that coverage at each location is at least as good as that predicted by our modelling.

Answer: Sheffield

What editorial area do you propose to serve within the stated coverage area?

The editorial area you propose to target may be a locality or localities within this coverage area. Whether this is a sub-set of the area, or the entire area, your service will be broadcast to the whole coverage area.This is defined in Section 2 of the ITA.

Answer: Our editorial area will be the entirety of the technical coverage area (which consists of parts of the local authority areas of Sheffield and Rotherham). We aim to maintain a core focus on the city of Sheffield but to carry local editorial content relevant to the wider Sheffield City Region (which includes Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Chesterfield, Worksop and other smaller towns). We will enhance coverage through other platforms (cable, Internet and IPTV) and will also explore technical coverage extension with the local multiplex operator.

3. Proposed launch date Guidance notes What is your state of readiness for launching your proposed service?

It would be helpful for us to have an idea of how ready you are to start broadcasting. What is the earliest likely scenario, and what is the latest?

Answer in fewer than 100 words: We have studios and equipment in place and will be ready to start by October 2013. We intend to commence some trial broadcasting on the Internet and IPTV in early 2013. Our planning is sufficiently flexible to adjust the start of the L-DTPS service to any time between July 2013 and December 2015, however we have a strong preference to be among the first of the pioneer locations to commence broadcasting.

What would be your indicative launch date to start broadcasting?

A launch date will be achievable in practice only if the local multiplex licensee has built out coverage to your location by that date. As, at the time of this application, the local multiplex licence has not yet been awarded, the proposed build-out schedule is not known yet.

When the local multiplex licence is awarded, its proposed build-out schedule will be compared with the indicative launch dates for all L-DTPS services in Phase 1. As far as possible, we anticipate that the local multiplex operator will amend the build-out plan to align with proposed L-DTPS launch dates.

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Services will be expected to begin broadcasting within two years of licence award, unless build-out has not been completed by the local multiplex licensee, or unless Ofcom gives permission for a later launch if there are unforeseen circumstances. Your proposed launch date should reflect this expectation.

Answer as a date: 1 October 2013

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Programmes and programming output

Definitions and guidance1

Localness requirement

The studio, from which the service will be broadcast, and/or the main production base of the service, should be located within the licensed area. (In some instances, and by prior written agreement from Ofcom, it may be acceptable for the primary studio to be located outside the licensed area. If you make the case in this section for locating your studio or production base outside the licensed area, then we will confirm if this is acceptable when awarding the licence.)

News and Current Affairs For full guidance on news and current affairs programming, applicants should refer to the Invitation to Apply for an L-DTPS Licence.2 Peak time

Your programming commitments should state how much and which elements of your local programming will be broadcast during ‘peak time’, which is between 6.00pm and 10.30pm.

Material produced for another broadcaster

If you intend to broadcast material produced for an organisation which is different to the applicant please state what it is and how much (per day or week as appropriate).

4. Programme output Guidance notes Please answer the questions below. They are worded to enable you to describe your proposed programme output in such a way as to demonstrate that it meets the statutory criteria for licence award.

Later in this form you will be asked to draft your own ‘programming commitments’. These are part of what Ofcom will judge your application on. These will also form the basis of your licence and Ofcom will judge your ongoing service against them once you are broadcasting. It should include a summary of your proposed programme output as set out below and reflect your commitment to delivering a local digital television programme service according to the statutory criteria.

Questions A to J ask about the first three years of operation. Question K asks about longer-term developments.

In granting a licence, Ofcom is required to have regard to the following factors (see The Local Digital television Programme Services Order 2012, the ‘s.244 Order’):

(a) the extent to which any proposed service: would:

(i) meet, or would meet, the needs of the area or locality where it is received;

(ii) would be likely to broaden the range of television programmes available for viewing by persons living or working in that area or locality;and

(iii)would be likely to increase the number and range of programmes about that area or locality that are available for such viewing and to increase the number of programmes made in that area or locality that would be so available; and

(b) the ability of the licence application to maintain, the proposed service throughout the period for which the licence would be in force .

Please note that a service will be taken for the purposes of (a)(i) to meet the needs of an area or locality if, and only if:

(a) its provision bring social or economic benefits to the area or locality, or to different categories of persons living or

1 The text in this guidance section is intended to replace the indicative text that appears in our consultation at paragraph 7.9. 2 http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/tv-broadcast-licences/local/apply

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working in the area or locality; or (b) it caters for the tastes, interests and

needs of some or all of the different descriptions of persons living or working in the area or locality(including, in particular, tastes, interests and needs that are of special relevance in the light of the descriptions of persons who do so live and work.

Please note that references to persons living or working in an area or locality include a reference to persons undergoing education or training in that area or locality. Please note that applicants should have regard to the description of an L-DTPS set out in article 3 of the s.244 Order including article 3(5) which provides that a service will fall within an L-DTPS if it includes or would include a range of programmes which: (i) facilitate civic understanding and fair and well-

informed debate through coverage of local news and current affairs;

(ii) reflect the lives and concerns of communities and

cultural interest and traditions in the area or locality;

(iii) include content that informs, educates and

entertains and is not otherwise available through a digital programme service which is available across the UK.

The information given here should be more detailed than what you set out in your draft Programming Commitments (later in this form), and will help us gain a fuller understanding of how you will serve your target editorial area. The questions below also relate to local programme material and locally-produced programme material. Local programme material is content that is specifically relevant to the editorial area; locally-produced programming is that is made within the area or locality. These two types of programming may not be substantially different, but where they are different, applicants should reflect this in their answers below. This is discussed in more detail in Section 3 of the Invitation to Apply for an L-DTPS Licence and applicants should refer to that document.

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A: Please tell us about your programme service. The following questions may help you describe your programme service (but should only be used as a guide). Where relevant you should also describe how your service will develop over time (e.g. the amount of local programming may increase over time, or new elements may be introduced as resources increase):

• What are the proposed programming elements of your service and what will be the balance between the different elements of that programming?

• How many hours a day/week of programming do you intend to broadcast in total (for each of the first three years)?

• How many hours a day/week of locally-produced programming do you intend to broadcast (for each of the first three years)?

• Where this is substantially different from the hours of locally-produced programming (above), how many hours a day/week of local programme material do you intend to broadcast (for each of the first three years)?

• Do you intend to broadcast live output? If so, when and how much do you propose to do? How might this level change over time?

• Will you broadcast in languages other than English (what languages and how much)?

• How much of your output will be original i.e., produced for your service alone?

• Will all your local programme material be locally produced?

• How much do you intend to repeat programming? Answer in fewer than 1,000 words: Summary

Our vision for a local television service draws on Sheffield’s history and culture of creativity and innovation. In music, art, design and manufacturing Sheffield has authentic stories to tell of a rich and fascinating local heritage, a dynamic current environment full of talent and ambition, and exciting prospects for future development. Our goal is to establish an inclusive and sustainable local television channel that shows what is vibrant and distinctive about Sheffield, that meets the public interest in local news and information, and that offers a platform for local opinion and creative expression.

SLTV will be a demand led, local television service catering for the tastes and interests of the people of Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region. Local news and information will be a core offer attracting viewers of all ages. We will feature local music, local talent and local festivals and events. Programming will also target minority interests that are not well catered for by existing services. Programme will be based on three pillars of local content, locally produced: (a) news production; (b) original local production of general and specialist interest including live production; and (c) archive material, drawn mainly from sources in the region.

Scheduling will focus on delivering high quality 100 per cent local production and local programming at peak viewing times from 1800-2230. At other times of day programming will be of general and specialist interest, drawing on the productive capacity and knowledge of community and educational partners, and mixed with material from local archives and independent producers.

SLTV will provide at least 4 hours per day of original local production, from year one, including at least one hour per day of news content, rising to 5 hours by year 3. Original non-news production will normally be repeated once within the week of first broadcast. Original production will be supplemented by an extensive body of local archive programme material, most of which will not previously have been seen on television by local audiences, ensuring 80 per cent local audiovisual content between 0900 and 2400.

At other times the channel will carry text-based news and information, photographic material, plus music and audio from our community radio partner to ensure a 24 hour presence.

SLTV will broadcast some non-local material outside of peak times including material from other local TV channels and independent producers from the UK and overseas. Non-local material will be selected that is likely to broaden viewer choice.

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News production

SLTV will operate a multimedia news operation across TV, radio and the web. The core TV offer will consist of 5 minute bulletins carried at 0700, 0800, 0900, 1200, 1700, 1800, and 2100 and an extended 30 minute news programme from 1830 to 1900. The news programming will be complemented by a strong current affairs offer including studio based interviews and discussions that go ‘behind the news’ and highlight local opinion and points of view. The current affairs strand will normally be scheduled between 1900 and 2000.

Original local production

SLTV will produce both live and pre-recorded programming, including studio-based chat, discussion and phone-in shows (current affairs, lifestyle, arts, sport, special interest), and music programmes, including live studio sessions and DJs/VJs. It will include live broadcasts and recordings from music and arts venues, festivals and events. It will also include commissioned production (arts, drama and documentary). Original local production will normally be broadcast first at a peak time of day and repeated once at a different time of day and week within the next seven days.

Archive programming

SLTV will build a substantial body of archive material drawn from existing local archives and from the best of the original locally produced material. Local archive sources will include South Yorkshire Filmmakers Network, Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival, Tramlines Festival, Sheffield Archives and Yorkshire Film Archive. In most cases such archive material will require some post-production and will not have previously been shown on British television. Archive programmes will not normally be repeated more than once per month in the first year and will not normally be repeated more than once every three months by the end of year three.

Total programming hours

We intend to broadcast 24 hours per day 7 days per week from launch.

Local production and local programme content

We intend to commence with at least 4 hours per day of original local production and 5 hours per day of local content, and to maintain or enhance this level during the first three years. At least 80 per cent of the locally produced material will be content of particular local relevance. We anticipate that all local programme material will also be locally produced. Locally produced programme material will be carried throughout peak times (1800-2230) and will be repeated, normally once only, at other times of the day and week.

Live output

Of the locally produced programme material at least 40 per cent will consist of live production. We expect this to increase to at least 60 per cent over three years. Live production will include news broadcasts, studio-based discussion programmes and live outside broadcasts. The majority of live programming will be at peak times.

Non-English programming

We anticipate between 10 and 20 per cent of locally produced programme material will include languages other than English. In particular we expect to commence with two hours per week of programming in Urdu, one hour per week in Punjabi, one hour per week in Spanish, and 1-2 hours per week in other non-English languages (likely to be drawn from French, Arabic, Somali, Chinese or Polish). Some of this programming will mix non-English languages with English to enable wider audience accessibility.

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B: How will your programming meet the needs of the area where it is received?

Answer in fewer than 500 words: Sheffield is a cosmopolitan city, the fourth largest in England, with 128 languages spoken in our schools and two major universities, with over 58,000 students. It is known as a place where things are made, a reputation invigorated by the growth sectors of advanced manufacturing and engineering, digital and new media, and the knowledge industries. It has a vibrant music scene from which have emerged internationally successful acts such as Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys. It is England’s greenest city with the Peak National Park District and open countryside just a few minutes away – an international centre of attraction for walkers, climbers and cyclists. Our programming will reflect Sheffield’s strengths and cultures – green, friendly, creative and diverse – and will be designed to meet the needs of people who live work or have interests in Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region. We aim to be inclusive and sustainable by building our audience base across Sheffield diverse communities, with a mixture of programming having broad popular appeal including local news and current affairs together with an eclectic offer of specialist programmes that reflect the diversity of Sheffield’s music and cultural scene, sports, neighbourhoods and communities.

We have undertaken detailed audience research to support our programme proposals, including a public questionnaire survey completed by 348 respondents, two public consultation events (September 2011 and July 2012) attended by over 120 people, and consultation with over 100 leaders in culture, education, business, sports and community. Of the respondents to our survey over three quarters watch television at least 4 days per week or more and nearly 50% watch television every day. They consume over 2.5 hours of television on a weekday and over 3 at a weekend; most frequently watching news, documentary, film, and sports programmes. But only 20.5% get Sheffield specific information from the television. Typical of the written comments we received was the observation that regional television news “serves Sheffield poorly”, being “too heavily focussed on Leeds”, where regional television news gathering centres are based. Over 60% of respondents said that TV services currently available serve Sheffield quite poorly or very poorly.

In addition to the clearly stated demand for Sheffield-focussed news and information, a large number of respondents mentioned Sheffield’s vibrant music, entertainment, arts, festival and sports scenes, and showed a real appetite for the channel to draw on linked opportunities for programme content. Respondents did not rate music television high among the genres which they currently watch but, from responses we received, many would watch music on TV if it featured local musicians and local performance.

SLTV will be locally-owned, locally-managed and firmly committed to serving local needs, tastes and interests. As a consortium involving a broad range of private, third sector and public stakeholders in the city, we are also determined that the service should operate for local social and economic benefit. We describe in further detail in sections 4.E and 4.F below how we intend to meet both of these requirements.

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C: How will your programming broaden the number and range of TV programmes available for viewing in the area? Answer in fewer than 500 words:

SLTV will provide a 24/7 service including 100 per cent local content and local production during peak viewing times 1800-2230, and at least 80 per cent local content (including repeats) between 0900-2400.

Programme content will be significantly different from any services available on the mainstream broadcast platforms both through the local relevance of the content and through the broadcast of local production that would otherwise not reach mainstream television audiences. Much of the SLTV output will be achieved by the channel operating as a local publisher-broadcaster, providing a platform to bring high quality local independent production to new audiences, and working with a wide range of partners and stakeholders.

SLTV will be demand led. Our audience survey and public consultation have highlighted ways in which the service could broaden the range of TV programmes currently available. The following are representative:

“[Local TV] would offer the opportunity to showcase local affairs, interests and aspirations”

“Showcase the grassroots arts, environmental, historical activities… in and around the city”

“The incredible arts community we have in Sheffield would no doubt bring an edge”

“A great way of supporting local talented musicians and filmmakers”

“Sheffield has so much creativity in arts, music, entertainment, film and culture, it’s time there was a broad platform to celebrate it all”

“News coverage needs to improve – most people I know are fed up with Calendar and Look North focussing on any part of the region except Sheffield”

There is currently no regularly available local content service for Sheffield on the main broadcast platforms (Freeview, satellite and cable). Regional news programming, as our survey responses indicate, is viewed as being Leeds-centric and not really catering for audiences in Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region.

From year one, SLTV will produce at least 4 hours per day of original local production, including 1 hour of local news, rising to at least 5 hours per day by year three. Local production, other than news, will include current affairs, lifestyle, culture, music, local talent, sports, specialist interests, community and education.

We will also draw on the region’s considerable body of film archive material to bring to television audiences additional local content, some of which will be exclusively available to SLTV and most of which will not previously have been seen on television, including short films, documentaries and performance.

SLTV will carry a limited amount of high quality material, outside of peak times, that is not locally produced but that meets local tastes and interest. The majority of this material will not have been previously broadcast on any mainstream television channel available to local audiences on the main broadcast platforms.

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D: How will your programming increase the range of programmes made in or about the area? Answer in fewer than 500 words: As indicated above SLTV will aim to achieve 100 per cent local content and local production during peak viewing times, and at least 80 per cent local content (including repeats) between 0900-2400. It will aim to produce at least 4 hours per day in year one, rising to 5 by year three of locally produced content, most of which will also be about Sheffield or the Sheffield City Region, including news and current affairs, coverage of festivals, events and performances, specialist interest programmes including music, arts and sports, and programming to meet the needs of particular communities of interest, including in non-English languages.

SLTV will draw particularly on the experience of local community radio station, Sheffield Live! 93.2fm, which involves around 120 volunteer producers on a weekly basis producing up to 18 hours per day of locally made and locally relevant radio content. Several of the community radio volunteers have video production experience and have expressed interest in developing programme ideas for television. SLTV will provide public access to facilities for content production which will be co-located with the community radio service, enabling sharing of technical resources and support services, and facilitating cross-platform co-operation and, in some cases, joint programming. SLTV will act as a publisher-broadcaster for independent producers that have access to their own resources. Partner organisation, South Yorkshire Film-makers Network has 1400 independent film and video producers in membership, several of which have expressed firm interest in providing locally made content for the local television service. SLTV will work closely with Sheffield’s local universities – Sheffield Hallam University and University of Sheffield - and with our further education partner, The Sheffield College. All have expressed an interest in promoting the local television station to student media producers, who will gain opportunities to have their work broadcast, or to gain programme making experience in a broadcast environment. The Sheffield College have a broadcast standard digital television studio at their Norton Centre, and we anticipate that part of the programming will be made there.

Taking the above together with the many expressions of interest we have received from local organisations, independent producers and individuals we are very confident of exceeding our local production and local content targets. Of respondents to our audience survey, over 50% said they would very likely or quite likely “try to get involved in programme making”. Our assessment, supported by our audience research, is of a high level of local interest in programme making for a local television channel, with content producers prepared to contribute at no or low cost, provided the channel itself is locally owned and managed, and not run for profit. Many local content producers, for example, create material documenting local events, festivals and communities but do not get the chance to broadcast the material outside of their own websites and target-less online distribution platforms like Vimeo and YouTube. Broadcast on local television will bring such material to wider audiences and will provide a unique space for producers to gain recognition.

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E: How will your programming bring social or economic benefits to the area, or to different categories of persons living or working in the area? Answer in fewer than 500 words: SLTV will celebrate Sheffield’s rich cultural and industrial heritage, it will contribute to Sheffield’s global recognition and its current economic and creative agenda, and it will provide a focus for Sheffield’s strategic ambition to be distinctive, successful, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable. Sheffield is a city of cultural, creative and digital production with the skills base for a highly successful local television channel, with 7% of the population employed in the creative and digital sector. SLTV will leverage that skills base to promote the city as a national leader in creativity and productivity. At the SLTV public meeting, in August 2012, Simon Green, executive director for place at Sheffield City Council, said the local television channel would help take the city’s creative industries to a new level and play a great part in the city’s economic agenda as well as its creative one. He applauded SLTV’s consortium approach, calling this crucial so that local television, with demand-led innovative programming, would effectively collaborate with activity across Sheffield.

It is at the heart of the strategic approach of SLTV that it should work with and not displace existing media businesses and that it should contribute to the sustainability and growth of Sheffield’s creative and digital sector. Its business model builds on existing resources of organizations like Commedia Sheffield, Kinematic Media Ltd, South Yorkshire Film-makers Network and the Sheffield College, to assure a sustainable model of local production that will contribute to the safeguarding of existing jobs and the creation of new ones.

Sheffield’s universities deliver a high standard of education in creative and digital skills including media production and journalism, but the absence of any major television broadcaster in the city means much of the best broadcasting talent moves elsewhere for work. SLTV will provide a platform to showcase local creative and media production, enabling established and emergent media producers to test their ideas, build audience and gain recognition. SLTV will work closely, to that end, with independent film and video producers through its links with South Yorkshire Film-makers Network. SLTV will assist in bringing national and international opportunities to local producers, through networking with other local television channels in the UK and overseas and through partnership with Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival, Doc/Fest, the UK’s leading documentary film festival and a consortium member and supporter.

Programming on SLTV will be inclusive of the diversity of Sheffield’s communities reflecting and celebrating our rich mix of cultures, and contributing to community cohesion and respect for diversity. It will carry an eclectic range of community-based content engaging volunteer producers and contributors and including programming for minority communities and special interests. While peak time programming will generally aim to have broad appeal, at other times of the day SLTV will carry programming targeting niche audiences including in languages other than English. SLTV will also carry social action campaigns, normally in short features, for example, to promote safer neighbourhoods, environmental responsibility, health and wellbeing.

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F: How will your programming cater for the tastes, interests and needs of people in the area? Answer in fewer than 500 words: SLTV will be entirely dedicated to serving local needs, tastes and interest and this is embedded in its ownership and governance structure. It will provide a broadcast platform operated for community benefit and owned by a charitable society for the benefit of the community with a broad-based membership of people and organisations who live, work or have interests in Sheffield. This framework will inform the programming offer as well as the off-air activities of SLTV. The development of the programme content will continue to draw on local consultation, audience testing of programme ideas and audience surveys.

Our research shows that demand for local news and information is a top priority, with Sheffield poorly catered for by existing regional television programming, but respondents to our survey and public consultation events also indicated that they would like to see a variety of programmes reflecting local opinion and current affairs and local interests including music, arts, sports and the environment.

SLTV will carry a daily flagship Sheffield Evening News at 6.30pm as an alternative to the regional news services, and will carry at least 6 short local news bulletins a day of 5 minutes each. SLTV will consider introducing an additional 15 minute news programme at 9pm or 10pm after two years of broadcasting.

Following the Sheffield Evening News programme, SLTV will carry an hour of live studio-based discussion on weekdays which will go ‘behind the news’ with a focus on current affairs, opinion and local issues. Each of these programmes will be presenter led with studio guests, and variations across the week in format and theme – some using phone-ins, or a studio audience, and including culture, politics, sport and community.

Mid-evening programming from 8pm to 10pm will be more diverse including a mix of live and pre-recorded formats and some archive material. It will include music, lifestyle, local talent, arts, outdoors. SLTV will feature all of Sheffield’s major events such as Tramlines http://www.tramlines.org.uk/, the UK’s largest city based music festival, Cliffhanger and the British Bouldering Championships http://www.cliff-hanger.co.uk/, the largest outdoor event of its kind, Doc/Fest http://sheffdocfest.com/, the UK’s leading documentary film festival, Off the Shelf www.offtheshelf.org.uk/, Sheffield’s international festival of readings, debates, workshops, poetry and storytelling, and MADE: The Entrepreneur Festival http://www.madefestival.com/, Britain’s biggest and most inspiring festival of entrepreneurship. SLTV will seek exclusive broadcast agreements with many of these and other events and will mobilise several reporting teams for each event in order to gather material that can be broadcast on a year round basis to bring this to a wider audience.

Late-evening programming from 10pm to midnight will include music-based programming, film reviews, archive and documentaries, as well as programming targeting niche audiences and minority interests.

During peak hours we will set high quality thresholds for production, while at other times of day (daytime and late evening) SLTV will exercise flexibility to enable particular interest groups to make and broadcast productions that meet needs and interests of niche audiences while maintaining core production values.

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G: How will your programming facilitate civic understanding and fair and well-informed debate through coverage of local news and current affairs?

Answer in fewer than 500 words:

Our audience research reinforces the importance of local news and current affairs programming and the role local television could play in promoting local debate and civic understanding. 87% of our survey respondents agree or strongly agree that "there should be more Sheffield local news coverage on TV". 78% of respondents agree or strongly agree that "a Sheffield TV station would help to make local politicians and the council more accountable". Comments from respondents, as we have noted above, drew particular attention to the lack of Sheffield news and opinion on BBC 1 and ITV 3 regional news programming.

SLTV will carry at least one hour of news programming per day from year one, consisting of a 30 minute Sheffield Evening News at 6.30pm and 6 five minute bulletins during the day. In addition, on weekdays, it will carry at least one hour of live current affairs programming going ‘behind the news’ to air local opinion and promote well-informed local debate, covering news events, politics, local issues, arts and sport.

SLTV will aim to provide a trusted source of local news, current affairs reporting and local information with news bulletins produced by a professional news team and supported by a network of community reporters.

We will work with and provide journalism training for local bloggers and community website editors to broaden the range of source material beyond diary events and official communications, and to encourage hyper-local news provision as a complement to broadcast news reporting. We have identified 50 local bloggers and community news websites and have consulted with over 20 representatives as part of a wider community networking partnership to explore strategies for content sharing and content aggregation.

We will work with and involve student journalists from both of Sheffield’s universities and from the Sheffield College, providing work experience and apprenticeship opportunities, and encouraging and supporting the development of their broadcast and online journalism skills, including in local investigative reporting.

SLTV has received all party support from Sheffield’s Councillors and we will work with Sheffield City Council to develop programme ideas that can increase people’s understanding of local authority decision making, promote local participation in policy making, and improve access to information from local public bodies.

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H: How will your programming reflect the lives and concerns of communities and cultural interest and traditions in the area?


Our audience survey shows that 78% agree that "a Sheffield TV station would bring different communities in the city together" and our consultations with a wide range arts, voluntary and community organisations reinforce that view. Several respondents to our survey stressed the importance of reflecting the diversity of community and cultural interests and of reflecting Sheffield’s vibrant arts scene. Similar views were expressed in consultation with networks such as Sheffield BME Forum and Sheffield Culture Consortium.

SLTV will build on and benefit from the strong track record of Commedia Sheffield, operator of Sheffield Live 93.2fm community radio station, in engaging with Sheffield’s diverse communities, cultural interests and traditions. Sheffield Live broadcasts up to 18 hours per day of locally produced radio programming with programming covering a wide range of community concerns from general community affairs programming (daily Communities Live show) to specialist interest groups (people with disability, LGBT), arts programming (music, film, new writing) and programming in non-English languages including Urdu, Punjabi, French, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. Several Sheffield Live radio producers have expressed interest in developing programme ideas for television that would reflect particular cultural interests, traditions and communities.

On SLTV almost all programme content will to a large extent reflect the lives and concerns of local communities and local cultural interests and traditions. All peak-time programming will be local content, locally produced, and 80% of content between 0900 and 2400 will also be locally relevant content, locally produced. Programming will reflect the diversity of arts, cultural and community traditions including music, performing arts, film and exhibitions. SLTV will carry specialist programmes highlighting different music genres and featuring local musicians (including rock, indie, urban, folk, classical). It will showcase local filmmaking including shorts, documentaries and features. Current affairs, lifestyle and magazine programming will include productions of broad popular appeal and others oriented towards particular communities and interests. SLTV will offer local and minority sports coverage, with the latter gaining exposure not generally available on mainstream broadcasting platforms. We have received several requests, for example, to cover local Roller Derby teams and matches, one of the fastest growing minority sports in the country.

The people and organisations involved in the SLTV consortium are strongly rooted in the local community with extensive contacts, networks and local knowledge that will inform programme development and with a commitment to ensuring that SLTV is inclusive and reflects the vibrant diversity of our city. Community and cultural organisations, other interest groups and the general public will continue to have well publicised opportunities to pitch their ideas, to make specific programme offers and proposals and to express their views on the development of SLTV. This is reflected in the approach we have taken to the development of this proposal including holding public consultation meetings, explaining the opportunity through the media, using social networks to promote SLTV and to engage the public, and surveying audience preferences.

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I: How will your programming include content that informs, educates and entertains and is not otherwise available through a digital programme service which is available across the UK? Answer in fewer than 500 words:

Much of the programme content of SLTV will inform, educate and entertain at the same time. To these three core functions of public service broadcasting SLTV will add the goal to promote participation in programme making by the people of Sheffield – “Made in Sheffield - Made by You” – by providing public access to facilities, programme development support, professional training and mentoring. Our broadcasters will be ordinary people but with extraordinary knowledge of their community and their special interests, combined with the talent and enthusiasm to share that knowledge in order to inform, to educate and to entertain.

SLTV will inform through its news and current affairs programming, through the airing of opinion and debate and through an eclectic range of magazine format, documentary and special interest programming made by people knowledgeable about Sheffield and about our cultures, music, sports, heritage and daily life.

SLTV will educate by raising awareness and understanding of local issues, by explaining the news ‘behind the news’, by engaging ‘experts’ whether from our two universities or the ‘university of life’, and by bringing to public attention the experiences of ordinary working Sheffielders from every walk of life and culture.

And SLTV will entertain. It will not be a channel packed with ‘worthy but dull’ community programming. But rather it will celebrate the vibrant distinctiveness of our city’s diverse and cosmopolitan cultures whether through music, comedy, talent and performance, or through quirky, offbeat or fantastical film-making.

None of what is made for SLTV is otherwise available through a digital programme service in the UK, but our hope and our expectation is that many of those who do make high quality programmes for SLTV, will gain opportunities for wider exposure across the UK and internationally, where otherwise they might not.

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J: What will you broadcast outside of your planned hours of local programme and locally-produced material? Do you intend to share programming with other L-DTPS licensees? From whom do you propose to acquire any third-party programming and what will the nature of this programming be? Please illustrate with a sample schedule for one week (if necessary you may provide one for each of the first three years, if you see your programme plans developing over that time-frame); you will not be held to this illustration, only to your Programming Commitments (below). Answer in fewer than 500 words (excluding illustrative schedule): Between the hours of 0900 and 2400, SLTV will broadcast at least 80% local production, including repeats of peak-time programming and broadcast of local archive material. Outside of these hours we expect to retransmit local community radio content together with text-based news content, broadcast photography, advertisements, archive material including film shorts, and repeat programming from peak and daytime.

Between 0600 and 1800, and after 2230 SLTV will carry a limited amount of carefully selected third party programming that is not locally produced or made. We anticipate this will be mainly drawn from other local TV stations and from independent producers. It will include material both from the UK and internationally.

We intend to share programming with other L-DTPS licensees on the basis of mutual arrangements, and subject to any licensing agreements with the producers and with third parties. We will support the development of a UK programme bank of high quality production from the UK local TV sector that is licensed for use by other local TV stations, including content that is licensed on a free to use basis.

Internationally we anticipate drawing from a variety of sources but with a general assumption that any such content is not otherwise available on a digital programme service available across the UK. We have received a letter of commitment from Dublin Community Television to share programming and we expect to receive other offers from local television stations in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

We will make significant use of locally produced archive material, including to a limited extent during peaktimes, which we expect to be made available to us from members of the consortium and from other local independent producers. We have received offers in this respect from several independent producers.

We have in principle commitment from Yorkshire Film Archive to access their holdings of over 16,000 films, including a substantial amount of content from Sheffield that has been transferred from Sheffield Archives.

We include a sample schedule for one week with indicative use of repeat and third party programming.

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K. How do you see the service developing after the first three years?

Answer in fewer than 500 words: SLTV aims to be among the pioneers of IPTV and Internet-based local television. Our partners include organisations with a strong technical interest in exploring new frontiers in community media. The Sheffield L-DTPS indicative coverage DPSA from the Sheffield relay tower at Tapton Hill also presents a considerable constraint on our editorial objective to serve Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region, due to the topography and the fact that many viewers have their antenna directed to Emley Moor or Belmont. This creates a further strong incentive to build additional audience quickly on Internet and IPTV platforms.

We are already in early stage discussions with an IPTV provider that can offer set-top box access to television via the Digital Region Network – the first regional superfast broadband network in the UK, which now reaches most of South Yorkshire. We anticipate entering into a co-promotion agreement on IPTV that will provide carriage and promotion of our service in return for promotion of the IPTV subscription. After three years we therefore anticipate that a significant part of our audience will view the channel via Internet or IPTV and this will carry implications for SLTV programme content and wider business strategy.

We are convinced the medium term future of local TV will be interactive and, to a significant extent, nonlinear, but that a unique part of the local TV programming offer should continue to be live production, with opportunities for real-time interactivity, and that live programming should continue to be concentrated in the current peak viewing times of 1800 – 2400. We will look particularly to developing the live part of SLTV.

At the same time we see emergent opportunities for other forms of interactivity with potential benefits for our audience and potential economic opportunities which we hope to explore more fully. Through our links with Sheffield Hallam University’s Culture, Communication and Computing Research Institute (CR3i) we can draw on creative and technical expertise in practice-centred interactive design such as online gaming, and we will actively seek to test and develop new approaches to audience and programme interaction.

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Programming Commitments

Guidance notes

Please draft the Programming Commitments for your proposed service.

If your body corporate is awarded a licence, these Programming Commitments will form the basis of what we put in the licence.

The Programming Commitments drafted here are subject to Ofcom’s prior written agreement, and we may require the drafting to be amended, for example, if it does not sufficiently reflect legislative requirements.

Your draft Programming Commitments should be consistent with, and summarise, the answers you have already given in the previous section of this application form.

You should keep in mind that it will be a condition of any licence to meet the Programming Commitments: this is something you are required to do at all times and if you fail to do so you could face sanctions including revocation of the licence. They should therefore be precise and achievable.

5. Programming Commitments

Programming output

[This should be a summary of the answer you have given in section 4, in no more than 250 words]

SLTV will be a demand led, local television service catering for the tastes and interests of the people of Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region. Local news and information will be a core offer. We will feature local music, local talent and local festivals and events. Programming will also target minority interests that are not well catered for by existing services.

Programming will be based on three pillars of local content, locally produced: (a) news production; (b) original local production of general and specialist interest including live production; and (c) archive material, drawn mainly from sources in the region. Scheduling will focus on delivering high quality 100 per cent local production and local programming at peak viewing times from 1800-2230. At other times of day programming will be of general and specialist interest.

SLTV will provide at least 4 hours per day of original local production, from year one, including at least one hour per day of news content, rising to 5 hours of original local production by year 3. Original non-news production will normally be repeated once within the week of first broadcast. Original production will be supplemented by an extensive body of local archive programme material, most of which will not previously have been seen on television by local audiences, ensuring 80 per cent local audiovisual content between 0900 and 2400.

At other times the channel will carry text-based news and information, photographic material, plus music and audio from our community radio partner to ensure 24 hour presence.

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Year 1

Year 2 Year 3 onwards

5.0 6.0 6.0

Hours of local programming per day/week

First run:

Repeats: 7.0 6.0 6.0

Year 1

Year 2 Year 3 onwards

4.5 4.5 4.5

Hours of local programming per day/week in peak-time (6.00-10.30pm)

First run:

Repeats: 0 0 0

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 onwards

Bulletins (5 mins) at 0700, 0800,

0900, 1200, 1700, 1800

Evening News (30 mins) at 1830


0900, 1200, 1700, 1800



0900, 1200, 1700, 1800


Hours and scheduling of local news and current affairs programming (e.g. how many bulletins a day and of what duration?)

First run:

Repeats:

Bulletin at 2100

(option to update in event of

breaking news)

Bulletin at 2100


breaking news)

Bulletin at 2100


breaking news)

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About your organisation

6. Company details Guidance notes Provide the name of the entity submitting this application and the type of body corporate.

Please provide copies of the company’s Memorandum, Articles of Association and Certificate of Incorporation (or, where it is another type of body corporate, its founding documents and those which set out its objectives and rules of operation).

Answers:

Only a body corporate can hold a licence. A body corporate is almost always a (registered) company, although it can also include, for example, some bodies created by statute (an individual or a registered charity on its own is not a body corporate).

Your application must therefore be submitted on behalf of a registered company (or other body corporate). There are different types of company (e.g. a company limited by shares, a community interest company, a company limited by guarantee) and we need to know what kind of company is applying for a licence.

We will not consider a licence award to a company if it has not yet been registered. If the application is successful the licence will be awarded to the body corporate (e.g. company) submitting this application.

Company (or other body corporate) name: Sheffield Local Television Ltd

Date of registration: 26 June 2012

Company registration number: 8120330

Type of company (or other body corporate): Company limited by guarantee

Where your body is not a company, please explain how it meets the requirement to be a body corporate:

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7. Ownership Guidance notes Please provide details of who controls and who owns the body corporate (e.g. company) applying for this licence, and on what basis this control and ownership is achieved.

The information provided must include:

• details of all the subscribers, members, shareholders, or whatever is appropriate for the applicant company (or body corporate), and state the extent of their interest (e.g. % shareholding) (if the company will be controlled by members, but the members are not yet recruited, please say so), and the date they acquired such interest. (You will also be asked about the board of directors in 7 & 8 below.)

• details of any individual, company or other body that may exert control over the applicant.

Ofcom needs to know about the ownership of the company (or other body corporate) applying for this licence, and any issues regarding its control. We will also consider how the company (or body corporate) will be run (this will usually be specified in the Articles of Association of the company).

In relation to exerting control over the applicant, the information provided should include the name, address and DOB of any individuals or corporate bodies in accordance with whose wishes the applicant’s affairs are or will be conducted in most cases or in significant respects.

Answer:

The company will be wholly owned by Sheffield Community Media Ltd (SCM), a Society for the Benefit of the Community registered with the Financial Services Authority as an Industrial and Provident Society (IPS).

SCM is a membership organisation in which members will have a variable shareholding between £1 and £20,000 (the maximum legal limit). In a General Meeting each member will have one vote regardless of shareholding. Membership of the Society will be open to persons who live, work or have interests in Sheffield. SCM rules are based on Co-ops UK model rules for a charitable Society for the Benefit of the Community. These include an asset lock which prevents the distribution of assets among members or their transfer to any non-charitable body.

The subscribers to the formation of Sheffield Local Television Ltd are Stephen Buckley and Richard Charles Motley, acting on trust for a consortium of organisations and individuals who will become the members of SCM.

The subscribers to the formation of SCM are Stephen Buckley, Richard Charles Motley and Paul Arthur Gregory, also acting on trust for a consortium of organisations and individuals who will become the members of SCM.

The members of SCM, who will also be shareholders, will be recruited through a public ‘community shares’ issue which aims to raise at least £150,000, therefore no single person will hold more than 13.3% of the shares. The community shares issue will be conducted after a decision is reached on the application for the L-DTPS licence for Sheffield since the establishment of a local television channel will be central to the public shares offer. We have commitments already in place to underwrite the shares offer that exceed our minimum investment target. These commitments are further detailed in the financial section 15 below and supported by letters of evidence.

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Ability to maintain the service – management and operations

Ofcom is required to have regard to the ability of the applicant for the licence to maintain the service.

8. Management structure3 Guidance notes With regard to the applicant please provide:

• A list of directors, indicating who is the managing director and/or chair (please see question 8 regarding directors’ details);

• An indication of management structure (e.g. management committee or equivalent, if applicable); and/or

• Information about who would be responsible for the day to day management and running of the service (there is a separate question regarding other staff below).

In addition to the notes above on ownership, Ofcom is also required to evaluate the human resources involved in the running of a service. Answers should demonstrate how those who have relevant experience will work for the service.

Answer:

Sheffield Local Television Ltd has a Board of Directors with extensive experience in local and community media, broadcasting, film and video production, economic development and social enterprise. Collectively the Board carry a commitment to engage in practical action to ensure the success of Sheffield’s first digital local television channel. The members of the Board are long term residents of Sheffield and are all senior executives in partner organisations with Sheffield Local Television, able to bring resources, social capital and specialist know-how.

The members of the Board will form the initial management committee together with additional expert advisors.

We provide brief profiles here of the experience and the expected roles of the first Board of Directors and the additional expert advisors. Further information on the directors is provided in question 10 below.

Board of Directors

Stephen Buckley (Chair)

Steve Buckley is an internationally recognised expert in media development who has supported the establishment and development of hundreds of media initiatives in the UK and overseas. He is Managing Director of Community Media Solutions, a Sheffield-based media development agency and he is a co-founder and current Chair of Commedia Sheffield, which operates the community radio station Sheffield Live! 93.2fm. He will contribute to strategic and business planning, fundraising, market analysis and technical development.

Richard Charles Motley

Richard Motley is a leading expert in urban regeneration and economic development with specialist knowledge of the creative and digital industries. He is Managing Director of Cultural Industries Quarter Agency and, together with Steve Buckley of CM Solutions, has been coordinating the development of Sheffield’s local television consortium. Richard will chair the board of Sheffield Community Media Ltd and will contribute to strategic and business planning, fundraising, market analysis and integration with Sheffield urban development planning.

Sangita Basudev

Sangita Basudev has over 25 years experience in community media including community radio, video production and new media. She is a co-founder and current Chief Executive of Commedia Sheffield which operates the community radio station Sheffield Live! 93.2fm. She will provide operational support in the development of programme content and will lead in community outreach, recruitment and support of volunteer producers.

Daren Eagles

Daren Eagles has over 15 years experience in independent film and television production. He is Managing

3 Names of any individuals except directors may be redacted in the ‘for publication’ version.

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Director of Kinematic Media Ltd, a Sheffield-based facilities house providing support to local independent filmmakers. He will provide operational support in development of technical facilities and programme content and production including the acquisition of archive material, production of pilot programmes and show-reels.

Bridget Kelly

Bridget Kelly is an experienced writer, film director and media trainer. She is Chief Executive of SHIFT (Sheffield Independent Film Training) a charitable organisation established in 1990 that provides training in media skills for disadvantaged young people. She will provide operational support in the development of training and work experience opportunities, programme content, community outreach and engagement of young people.

Robert Speranza

Rob Speranza is an award-winning film director and Head of Operations for South Yorkshire Film-makers Network, a regional membership organisation of 1400 independent film-makers. He will provide operational support in the development of programme content, commissioning strategy, acquisition of archive material and promotion of the local television channel as an opportunity for locally-based film and video producers.

Advisors

Jaqui Devereux

Jaqui Devereux is Chief Executive of the Community Media Association, the UK sector body for community media. She is a qualified accountant with more than 30 years experience in the charitable and voluntary sector. She will provide strategic advice and support for business planning, accounting and charitable compliance.

Paul Gregory

Paul Gregory is Deputy Chair of Commedia Sheffield. He is an audio-visual systems engineer with over 35 years experience including as Operations Director of Quadrant Visuals Solutions, a leading UK AV company. He will assist with technical research, equipment specification, studio design, data storage and signal distribution.

Andrew Moore

Andrew Moore is Managing Director of Visualis, a Sheffield based media production company with extensive corporate production experience. He will assist with quality management processes and procedures, strategic technical and programming guidance, training, commercial development and financial sustainability.

Mohammed Nazir

Mohammed Nazir is a solicitor with Wosskow Brown, one of the leading firms of solicitors in South Yorkshire, with roots going back over 150 years. Mohammed qualified as a solicitor in 2004 moving to the UK after a successful career as High Court advocate in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Mohammed also participates in legal discussions on community radio and writes for a local paper about legal issues. He will act as a pro bona legal advisor.

Matthew Neale

Matthew Neale is Head of the Department of Media, Journalism and Music at The Sheffield College. He oversees the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism and is responsible for the college’s Norton Centre broadcast facility and for training courses in journalism and media production. He will provide specialist support on journalism and audio visual production and will be the College’s focal point for student engagement and journalism apprenticeships.

Jamie Veitch

Jamie Veitch is a Sheffield-based project management and business development consultant with extensive commercial sales and marketing experience including with Trinity Mirror plc and as Managing Director of New Start Publishing. He will assist in building the commercial client base, sales operation and marketing strategy.

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9. Compliance Guidance notes Please explain how you will put in place appropriate procedures to ensure and maintain compliance with the Broadcasting Code and other licence requirements.

All licensees are required to comply with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and other licence conditions. The Broadcasting Code4 can be found on the Ofcom website at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/


Compliance with the Broadcasting Code and other licence requirements will be achieved through training and guidance of all production staff and volunteers and through clear lines of responsibility for content approval before broadcast. For both editorial and commercial content, day to day responsibility will rest with the Head of Programming to whom all editorial compliance issues will be referred. During election campaigns and at other sensitive times, special guidance will be distributed to all production staff and additional training will be provided where necessary. Sales staff will be given specialist training in compliance and approval procedures relating to commercial content, including the Broadcasting Code and the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

4 The Broadcasting Code is referred to as the ‘Standards Code’ in the L-DTPS licence.

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10.a Director profile Guidance notes Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).

Answer (for each director please complete a separate table):

Ofcom needs to know about the proposed directors and chair of the applicant. Some or all of the information given in this section will usually be removed from the publicly available copy of this application form. (All applications will be published on our website.)

Name: Stephen Buckley

Home address:

Contact phone number:

Email address:

Occupation: Managing Director, CM Solutions

Media Consultant

Other directorships: Community Media Solutions Ltd

Commedia Sheffield

Relevant experience or qualifications: Steve is Managing Director of CM Solutions, a specialist media development working in the UK and worldwide. He was founder of the UK Community Media Association (CMA) in 1983 and as Chief Executive of the CMA from 1991 to 2004, he played an instrumental role in the introduction of community radio to the UK. Steve has 30 years experience in local and community media as a practitioner, manager, business advisor, policy researcher and advocate including serving 18 years on the Board of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), and serving as AMARC President from 1993 to 2010. He has also servedtwo terms as a Council Member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), a global network of 90 organisations world wide engaged in the defence of freedom of expression. Steve is author of numerous publications on media development and community media including Broadcasting, Voice and Accountability (World Bank/University of Michigan Press 2008) and Community Media: A Good Practice Handbook (UNESCO 2012). He has been a consultant to World Bank, DFID, UNESCO, Open Society Foundation, Media Diversity Institute, International Media Support and other international organisations. He is currently managing, in partnership with CMN (Jordan), a major programme of support for media development in the Arab world, across 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa and funded by the Swedish International Development Agency and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Steve is a co-founder and current Chair of Sheffield’s leading community media organisation Commedia Sheffield.

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10.b Director profile Guidance notes Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).



Name: Richard Motley

Home address:


Email address:

Occupation: Managing Director, Integreat Plus

Other directorships: Cultural Industries Quarter Agency

Integreat Plus

Relevant experience or qualifications: Richard is a leading urban regeneration specialist, broker, and facilitator, with over 20 years experience in the fields of place making, regeneration, housing, cultural and creative industries, social enterprise and economic development. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Economic Development, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a founding member of Sheffield’s Urban Think Tank. Richard is Managing Director of Integreat Plus, a social enterprise which brings together specialists in urban design, economic development, and neighbourhood planning and aims to improve the skills and capacity of those involved in sustainable communities and place-based economic development. He is also Managing Director of Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter Agency which has worked on high profile urban redevelopment successes in Sheffield’s urban core and supports creative and digital industries development across South Yorkshire. He previously worked at Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency for Yorkshire and the Humber, leading Yorkshire’s Centre of Excellence for Regeneration, Renaissance and Place-making Skills. Richard is a strong believer in the philosophy of place making and place management, and is a member of the UK wide Sustainable Communities Excellence Network focusing on growing and achieving sustainable communities. He has lectured on place making, regeneration and renaissance including the creative economy planning, design and community regeneration. Richard has a particular interest in helping communities, towns, cities to address change and invest in the new economy and strives for a place based approach to address this.

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10.c Director profile Guidance notes Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).



Name: Sangita Basudev

Home address:


Email address:

Occupation: Chief Executive, Commedia Sheffield

Other directorships: None

Relevant experience or qualifications: Founder in 2001 and Chief Executive of Sheffield’s leading community media organisation, Commedia Sheffield, which operates Sheffield Live! 93.2 fm, a highly successful community radio which has over 120 volunteers working on a weekly basis to provide 18 hours of local programming every day. Sheffield Live! 93.2fm was recently awarded a five year licence extension to 2017. Sangita has been involved in the community media field for over 25 years including working in independent and community video production as well as numerous radio projects and print media. She brings extensive experience in community development and the voluntary sector and is also a trained counsellor who has worked in alcohol and drugs advice, victim support, disability advice, women’s refugees and telephone help-lines for young women and girls. Prior to joining Commedia Sheffield, Sangita was Project Manager at the Community Media Association responsible for initiatives to involve women and young people in broadcasting. Her experience is centred on grassroots and community engagement whether that be a community of interest or neighbourhood based and with the sensitivity to work with vulnerable and hard to reach groups by combining counselling, mentoring, training and practical advocate. Sangita is a firm believer in the social and economic value of local media produced with, by and for the local community it serves.

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10.d Director profile Guidance notes Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).



Name: Daren Eagles

Home address:


Email address:

Occupation: Managing Director, Kinematic Media Ltd

Independent Media Producer

Part- time University Lecturer

Other directorships: Kinematic Media Ltd

South Yorkshire Filmmaker’s Network

Relevant experience or qualifications: Daren is an accomplished independent media producer and Managing Director of Kinematic Media Ltd, Sheffield’s local facilities house for independent film-makers. Since 2010 he has also been an Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. He has over 15 years experience in film-making and television. After an early career in the physical and computational sciences he moved into the world of factual filmmaking. Following an MA in Documentary Filmmaking at Sheffield Hallam University he spent several years as a freelancer working for different film and television organisations ranging from Liverpool Channel One – the local cable channel to Granada’s flagship documentary programme World in Action. In 2000 he was recruited to work at Sheffield Independent Film and quickly progressed to become its Executive Director. Daren brings a sound programme making track record and a detailed appreciation of the role of media production in both an academic and economic context. In recent years his activities have become more focussed on people and project management including gaining qualifications such as Prince2 and ITIL and providing external specialist support in the assessment of Universities for Skillset Media Academy status.

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10.e Director profile Guidance notes Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).



Name: Bridget Kelly

Home address:


Email address:

Occupation: Chief Executive, SHIFT

Other directorships: None

Relevant experience or qualifications: Bridget is a talented and experienced writer and film director. She studied screen writing at London College of Communication. She also has a BSC in Psychology and Art and an MSc in Psychology by research – evaluating the role of play as a remedial intervention for people with learning difficulties. Her play Dying for a Laugh was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award and had a rehearsed reading at West Yorkshire Playhouse. Her debut film Rubber Up Johnny was shown on Channel 4 at prime time. Bridget’s scripts have won production awards including Passin Through and Two into One. Bridget currently works as Chief Executive of SHIFT an organisation that uses media and creativity to develop people. Access is a key part of SHIFT’s core values. At SHIFT Bridget has taken the organisation from being primarily one-off-project funded to holding mainstream training delivery contracts providing engagement through media for young people not in education and employment. Bridget is committed to ensuring SHIFT is sustainable through developing the company as a digital content provider.

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10.f Director profile Guidance notes Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).



Name: Robert Speranza

Home address:


Email address:

Occupation: Film Producer

Head of Operations, South Yorkshire Film-makers Network

Other directorships: South Yorkshire Film-makers Network

Relevant experience or qualifications: Rob Speranza is an award-winning film producer based in Sheffield. Originally from New York he studied film and poetry at the University of Sheffield, completing an MA and PhD. In 2011 and 2012, Rob produced feature film 'Entity' with wr/dir Steve Stone www.entitythemovie.com, starring Dervla Kirwan and Charlotte Riley. In 2010 and 2011, Rob line produced festival horror hit 'Inbred' (dir. Alex Chandon www.inbredmovie.com starring Jo Hartley, and Liverpool feature 'Small Creatures' (wr/dir Martin Wallace), nominated in 2012 for The Michael Powell Award for Best Film at the Edinburgh IFF. He shot short film 'The Girl and the Gondola' with wr/dir Abbé Robinson in Venice, Italy in 2011 and 2012. Rob has produced seven commissioned UK Film Council short films including the multi-award-winning 'Mother, Mine' starring Kelly Harrison and 'Threads' starring Reece Noi and Jamie Lomas. His short film 'Mam' starring Paul Barber and Josie Lawrence and directed by Hugo Speer won Best Short Film awards at festivals in both the USA and UK (2011). Rob has won over 30 awards for his film-making. In addition to credits as producer/line producer on three feature films, he has produced 14 short films and over 80 corporate films. Since 2004 he has been Head of Operations for South Yorkshire Filmmakers Network www.syfn.org a membership network that provides news, information, meetings and events for 1400 independent film-makers in South Yorkshire.

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11. Staffing structure Guidance notes What is the staffing structure of your proposed service? Provide a job title for key positions and indicate any unpaid as well as paid staff. This may be provided as a diagram or organisation chart. If the applicant body is a large organisation, it is not necessary to provide an exhaustive list: key management and an indication of total size will suffice. In a small organisation, it may be appropriate to list everyone.

The legislation requires that Ofcom has regard to the applicant’s ability to maintain the proposed service (as well as to ensure the applicant is fit and proper to hold the licence). As well as its ownership, management and operations, the proposed staffing of the service is relevant to these considerations.

Answer in fewer than 400 words, plus organisation chart (optional):

The core staff of SLTV will consist of the following:

General and Commercial Manager – responsible for overall control of operations, staff management, sales and marketing, fund-raising, commercial development and financial sustainability.

Head of Programming – responsible for programme output, including scheduling, compliance, commercial content, training, mentoring and support of volunteer and student producers, and production apprentices.

Head of News – responsible for the news operation as Chief Editor, managing a team of journalism apprentices, volunteer news reporters and community correspondents, assuring news compliance and news quality.

Technical Manager – responsible for oversight of technical operations and technical systems including network and distribution, studios, cameras, lighting, portable equipment, production workstations and other assets.

Administration – responsible for office administration, book-keeping, client management, reception rota.

SLTV will employ 8-10 apprentices through the Sheffield College apprenticeship scheme, who will take responsibilities in programme production (4), news production (4) and sales and marketing (2), under the supervision of the staff members indicated above responsible for each of these three areas.

SLTV will develop a substantial base of volunteer and student producers who will work under the overall supervision of the Head of Programming. After training and induction volunteer producers will work with a high degree of autonomy taking responsibility for specific programme slots at different times of the week. Suitably trained and motivated students and volunteers will also have opportunities to work in the SLTV newsroom.

We anticipate around 80-100 volunteers will be involved in SLTV in any one week.

SLTV will commission a limited amount of external production from independent producers including commercial production, station idents and, subject to funding, short films, special programme series and features.

SLTV core operations will be co-located with local community radio station, Sheffield Live! 93.2fm. Where appropriate job sharing arrangements may be deployed to achieve cost savings and operational synergies.

General and commercial manager

Head of programming Technical Manager Administrator

Head of News

News journalism apprentices and

newsroom volunteers

Production Volunteers Technical Assistants (volunteers)

Receptionists and administrative

assistants

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12. Applicant’s experience Guidance notes Please describe the history of your group, and any relevant experience of the group, or the individuals within the group, by answering the questions below.

Ofcom is required to consider whether an applicant has the ability to run a local television service for the licence period (up to 12 years). To aid our consideration we want to know about any relevant experience the applicant group as a whole, or the individuals involved, may have.

A. Please provide a brief history of your group.

Answer in fewer than 300 words: Sheffield Local Television Ltd, represents a consortium of Sheffield-based organisations initiated on 11 February 2011 and led jointly by Community Media Solutions Ltd (CMS), a Sheffield-based media development agency, and Cultural Industries Quarter Agency (CIQA), an urban regeneration and economic development agency with a focus on Sheffield’s creative and digital industries. Participants in the consortium include Commedia Sheffield, Kinematic Media Ltd, South Yorkshire Film-makers Network, Sheffield Independent Film Training (SHIFT), Studio of the North, Sheffield University, Sheffield Hallam University, and Sheffield College. The consortium has been supported by Sheffield City Council, Creative Sheffield and Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. The consortium has held fifteen open meetings since February 2011, to which key local stakeholders have been invited. It has held two public meetings, in September 2011 and July 2012, attracting over 120 participants. The consortium has received cross party support from local MPs and councillors in its campaign for Sheffield to be included in the list of pioneer areas for local television. Although Sheffield was not included in Ofcom’s provisional list published in December, the final list was extended to include Sheffield when it was published in May 2012. Following the inclusion of Sheffield in the list of pioneer areas and the accompanying guidance on technical parameters, the consortium has been able to finalise its business planning and proposals for a licence. It retains the objective of providing content relevant to Sheffield City Region while putting a core editorial focus on the Sheffield/Rotherham urban area. In order to deepen public consultation and engagement the consortium has launched a website http://www.sheffieldlocaltv.co.uk and established a Facebook presence attracting over 300 fans at http://www.facebook.com/sheffieldlocaltv. It has undertaken audience research surveying 348 potential viewers and it has consulted with over 120 businesses through direct interviews and a questionnaire survey. B. Please summarise the group’s broadcasting experience.


Members of the board and the advisors to the management committee described in section 8 bring a wide range of broadcasting, film and video production experience including in audio-visual systems and engineering, writing for film and video, direction, film production, programme scheduling and compliance, broadcast management.

Commedia Sheffield, which is a partner, operates Sheffield’s successful and only community radio station, Sheffield Live! 93.2fm, which has been operating on the Internet since 2002 and with an FM community radio licence since 2007, recently extended for five years to 2017. Sheffield Live! involves over 120 volunteers on a regular weekly basis, producing 18 hours per day of local programming. Many of the people involved in Sheffield Live! also have film and video production experience and are eager to contribute to a local television channel.

SHIFT, which is a partner, is a specialist media training agency accredited through the Newcastle College of Further Education. Kinematic Media Ltd, also a partner, is a facilities house managing hire of AV equipment and studio space for film-makers. The group also involves independent film-makers through South Yorkshire Filmmakers Network, with 1400 independent film and video producers in membership, many of whom have previous broadcast experience and have expressed interested in providing programme content for the local TV channel.

Sheffield has two universities that have broadcast production facilities and that run courses in broadcasting. Both have been involved in the consortium and have offered commitments of support. Sheffield’s leading further education provider, The Sheffield College, has broadcast studio facilities and runs accredited training in broadcast skills. Sheffield College staff assisted in the development of programme ideas and scheduling and it is anticipated that students at the college will be a source of programming content as well as potentially working at the local television station on programme making and news production through an apprenticeship scheme.

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C. Please summarise the relevant experience of the group or its members, in relevant non-broadcast areas (such as print journalism, third sector, local business, sales and marketing, fundraising, training or education).


The members of the board and the advisors to the management committee combine media and broadcasting know-how with extensive and diverse experience in relevant non-broadcast areas including business (local, national and international), social enterprise, voluntary and community sector, fundraising, finance and accounting, sales and marketing, organisational development, training and education, print publishing and journalism, new media and social networking, urban regeneration and economic development.

Community Media Solutions, which is a partner, is a media development agency combining business development and technical know-how and having extensive experience in social and community enterprise.

Cultural Industries Quarter Agency, which is a partner, is an urban regeneration and economic development agency working in Sheffield and South Yorkshire and having specialist creative and digital sector know how.

Jamie Veitch, who is an advisor to the management committee, brings experience in publishing, print journalism, commercial sales and marketing, as well as business development and project management know-how.

D. Please summarise the broadcasting experience of key individuals in the applicant group (only if not already described above).


Relevant experience of board members and advisors to the management committee is described in section 8 above. In addition we would highlight the following specific experience relating to broadcasting:

Board members

Steve Buckley - 30 years broadcasting experience as a presenter, producer, trainer, manager, consultant

Sangita Basudev - over 25 years broadcasting experience as a presenter, producer, trainer, manager

Daren Eagles - over 15 years film and television production experience from local cable to World in Action

Bridget Kelly - experienced writer, film director and media trainer; drama productions shown on Channel 4

Rob Speranza - award-winning film director, 3 feature films, 14 short films and over 80 corporate productions

Advisors

Paul Gregory - audio-visual systems engineer with over 35 years experience in AV technical operations

Andrew Moore – over 20 years television experience including corporate production and small scale television

Matthew Neale – AV producer, FE lecturer and head of department, oversees NCTJ Diploma in Journalism

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E. Please provide details of any third party involvement in the group (e.g. consultants or other bodies which might be making a contribution to the running of the station but are not formally part of the applicant body). (Note: Please provide a letter from any such third parties confirming their involvement as specified.)


Private and third sector members of the consortium

The following organisations have been involved in the development of the consortium and have provided written letters of support describing their commitment to contribute to the running of the station: Community Media Solutions Ltd, Cultural Industries Quarter Agency, Commedia Sheffield, Dearne Media Group, Kinematic Media Ltd, Sheffield Independent Film Training (SHIFT), South Yorkshire Film-makers Network, Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centre, Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival, Visualis, Integreat Plus. Letters attached.

Sheffield City Council

We have received cross party and senior officer commitments of support from Sheffield City Council including preparedness to consider directing media spend to the channel, partnering with local festivals and events and providing officer time to assist in the continuing development of the business plan and delivery process. Letters of support are attached from the Council leadership plus letters of endorsement from both opposition parties.

Further and Higher Education

We have received letters of support and preparedness to contribute from University of Sheffield Department of Journalism Studies and Sheffield Hallam University Cultural, Communications and Computing Research Institute.

Other commitments to contribute

We have received over 50 other significant written statements of commitment to contribute to the running of the service including in the production of content, promotion of the service and investment. These include from independent producers, arts, cultural and voluntary organisations, and businesses. Sample letters attached.

Commitments of finance and/or business support are also referenced in the financial section 15 below.

F. If you have or are expecting to enter into any significant agreements with any third parties, you should provide the following details:5

(a) For agreements already in place, a copy of the agreement together with a short summary of its key terms, together with a description of the third parties;

(b) For proposed agreements, a description of the third parties, the proposed agreement, including what stage discussions/negotiations are at, together with any heads of terms that have already been agreed. Answer in fewer than 250 words (and agreements may be attached):

This section contains information on negotiations in progress and is confidential.

2

5 This section may be redacted in the ‘for publication’ version.

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13. Risk Guidance notes Please describe your analysis of risks to your business, by answering the questions below.

In considering whether an applicant has the ability to run a local television service for the licence period, it will be helpful for us to understand more about the applicant’s analysis of possible risks to their business.

Please detail what you consider to be the main risks to your business plan, both operational and financial risks, and how you propose to address these risks.

Answer in fewer than 500 words: Risk Likelihood Impact Mitigation

Audience projections fall short of expectations

Medium Medium We will pursue an aggressive promotional strategy to build audience on Internet and IPTV platforms to complement DTT viewing. If necessary spot advertising costs and other commercial income ratecard costs will be reduced to maintain competitive CPM

Commercial revenue receipts are below targets

Medium Medium We are taking a mixed funding strategy and will pursue a wide range of income sources not directly related to commercial airtime sales – events promotion, friends scheme, small grants, training and social action contracts. The group brings considerable experience of non-broadcast revenues of this type.

Non-commercial revenue below targets Low Medium We have made very conservative estimates of non-commercial revenue targets and fully expect to exceed them. We retain flexibility to reduce costs if necessary, and working capital to manage short term fluctuations.

Operating costs exceed estimates Low Low We have experience of close control of the operating costs of a broadcast service and have based our costing on realistic estimates. We expect any cost variation to be marginal and we will actively seek means to reduce costs.

Partner commitments fail to materialise Low Low We have developed a broad supporter base for the project, which will ensure that if one partner fails to deliver this will have low impact on the project as a whole. Core partners have a direct interest in the success of the venture.

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14. Character of service Guidance notes Please provide an explanation of how the character of the service (as set out in the Programming Commitments) is to be maintained for the period for which the licence would be in force.

An application for an L-DTPS licence must include a detailed explanation of how the character of the service, as proposed in the application, is to be maintained for the period for which the licence would be in force.

Answer in fewer than 250 words: The sustainability of SLTV rests on sound business planning, detailed local consultation including audience and business surveys, and a consortium-based approach which has already developed a large base of support among key local stakeholders and builds on existing resources and know how in Sheffield. SLTV will commence with a large base of social capital embedded in a clear governance framework, with a charitable holding company that guarantees and protects local and community ownership and will assure the character of the service and its focus on local content, local production and local ownership. This includes rules that limit the rate of return on capital investment, ensuring that profits will be primarily applied to the development of the service, and an asset lock to prevent the distribution of the assets of the holding company among its members. SLTV will be developed in partnership with the existing local community radio station, Sheffield Live! 93.2fm which has been broadcasting for over 10 years on the Internet and five years on FM. Sheffield Live! was recently awarded a five year licence extension to 2017. Partnership with Sheffield Live will enable development of a cross media platform with access to local television, community radio, the Internet and IPTV, enabling forward-looking synergies in news and programme production and opportunities for cost sharing, cross promotion, content sharing, joint sales and co-branding. This approach will contribute positively to the resilience of SLTV and to audience development.

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Contact information and declaration

You must advise Ofcom of any changes to contact details.

16. Public contact details Guidance notes Provide the name of the person who will deal with enquiries from the press and public, and the contact details for them.

Answer:

Ofcom will publish licence applications and, from time to time, publish statements which may include public contact details, on its website. A point of contact is required for these.

Name: Steve Buckley

Phone number: 0114 2201426

Email address: [email protected]

Website: www.sheffieldlocaltv.co.uk

Postal address: CM Solutions

15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX

17. Contact details for Ofcom6 Guidance notes Provide the name of the person who will be Ofcom’s primary contact and their contact details:

Answer:

Ofcom will need to contact your group in relation to this application.

Name: Steve Buckley

Phone number: 0114 2201426

Email address: [email protected]

Website: www.sheffieldlocaltv.co.uk

Postal address: CM Solutions

15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX

6 This section may be redacted in the ‘for publication’ version.

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18. Concluding declaration

APPLICANT’S, DIRECTORS’ AND OWNERS’ OTHER INTERESTS

1. In relation to the applicant and any bodies and/or individuals whose details are given in this application, please state whether the applicant, any body or individual is (and if so identify that body or individual) involved in any of the activities set out in the table below, and the extent of the involvement or interest. For these purposes, the applicant includes associates of the applicant (i.e. directors and their associates and other group companies). If none of the following categories in this section apply, this must be clearly indicated by writing ‘none’ in any appropriate box.

Activity/involvement By the applicant and/or a shareholder or member

By a director

a) Local authorities none none

b) Bodies whose objects are wholly or mainly of a political nature, or which are affiliated to such a body

none none

c) Bodies whose objects are wholly or mainly of a religious nature

none none

d) An individual who is an officer of a body falling within (c) above

none none

e) A body corporate which is an associate (as defined in paragraphs 1(1) and 1(1a) of Part I of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990) or a body falling within (b) or (c) above)

none none

f) An advertising agency or an associate of an advertising agency

none none

g) Other broadcasting interests (including radio, television, satellite and cable broadcasting and allied activities).

none Steve Buckley is Chair of Commedia Sheffield which holds a community radio licence

Sangita Basudev is Chief Executive of Commedia Sheffield which holds a community radio licence

Daren Eagles is a Director of South Yorkshire Film-makers Network and a Director of Kinematic Media, a local facilities house.

Ron Speranza is a Director of South Yorkshire Film-makers Network

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Other matters

3. In pursuance of its duties under Section 3(3) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (as amended), Ofcom requires that the applicant should notify Ofcom of any matters which might influence Ofcom’s judgement as to whether:

(i) the applicant; (ii) any director of the applicant; (iii) any individual, or any director of a company, who will have an interest of 5 per cent or more in the applicant;

may not be considered a 'fit and proper person' to participate in a broadcasting licence.

Answer:

We are not aware of any reason

Do you confirm, to the best of your knowledge and belief, that:

4. The applicant is not a disqualified person in relation to the licence by virtue of the provisions of section 143 (5) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (relating to political objects);

5. The applicant is not otherwise a disqualified person in relation to the licence by virtue of Part II of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990 or any other rule prohibiting its holding the licence;

6. No director, member or other person involved directly or indirectly in the management of the applicant group is the subject of a disqualification order as defined by section 145 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 1996; and

7. Any matters which might influence Ofcom's judgement as to whether the directors or members of the applicant group are fit and proper persons to participate in a licence have been made to Ofcom.

Applicants should note that Ofcom reserves the right to revoke a licence if at any time any material statement made is found to be false and to have been made by the applicant or any member or officer thereof knowing it to be false, and that in the circumstances of section 144 of the Broadcasting Act 1996, the provision of false information or the withholding of relevant information with the intention of misleading Ofcom could incur a criminal conviction and a disqualification from the holding of a licence.

Please tick this box to confirm that the applicant agrees with the above statements.

Please tick the boxes below to confirm these are included as part of this application.

Memorandum & Articles of Association (of the entity to be licensed)

Certificate of Incorporation (of the entity to be licensed) or founding documents

Application Payment (UK £2,500) – this is non-refundable

Financial forecasts Please tick the boxes below to indicate which additional documentation is included as part of this application. We are not willing to accept additional information with this application, other than that set out below:

Third-party agreements/heads of terms

Indicative schedule Please state the exact reference you have included with your payment of the application fee. This should take the format ‘LTV [location licence is for] [name of applying entity]’. Please also specify the account from which the transfer originates: Reference: LTVSheffield – Sheffield Local Television Ltd

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I hereby apply to Ofcom for the grant of an L-DTPS licence and declare that the information given in this application and any additional documentation is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, correct.

Steve Buckley (Name of person)

Chair/Director (Title or position in the applicant group)

13 August 2012-08-11 (Date)

Please return this form and any additional electronic information to: [email protected]

In usual circumstances we will only accept applications and supporting documents by email. Please contact the Local TV Licensing team if you are unable for any reason to submit electronic copies.

If you need to send anything in hard copy, please send it to:

Local Television Licensing Team Ofcom Riverside House 2A Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9HA

Please make sure you keep a copy of anything you send, for your records.

sheffield local television

News & Politics

technical coverage area

proposed coverage

stated coverage area

proposed service

local television licence

entire area

dtps licence application

local multiplex licence