Element TV announces bid for Hunt's new national TV channel

Element Television is the latest company to announce a bid for the licence to run the government's proposed new national television channel, dubbed 'Channel 6'.

In a release, Element TV said it intends to keep local news, entertainment and information at the core of the channel, using national network programming only where necessary.

The company also committed itself to focusing on mobile, IPTV and video on demand delivery platforms as well as television, and said it has already formed "strategic partnerships" with technology companies.

Element TV founder and CEO Jamie Conway said: "We have always been firm believers that local television, as opposed to community television, has a commercially viable future in the UK. 

"Creating pan-national networks that opt out to short bursts of local programming provides nothing new and merely pays lip service to the concept of local broadcasting. Solutions and opportunities to let local businesses advertise to their local areas, is as essential in creating a relevance to viewers as local programming is."

The company also announced the appointment of Caroline Bailes as director of finance and strategy. Bailes joins Element TV from the Guardian Media Group, where she was head of corporate development and intelligence.

Element TV's proposal will include local advertising packages with the cheapest 20 second spots selling for less than £8 and primetime slots for less than £20.

The new channel, announced by culture secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) in January, will consist of 10 to 20 local TV services, operating by 2015 with the first local services licensed from 2012.

Plans for the new service, which is designed to support local programming across the country, were based on recommendations made by by Nicholas Shott in the Shott report, commissioned by Hunt last year.

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