Mustard: Norwich local TV service to create 14 new jobs

Managing director of Mustard TV Fiona Ryder says it will be a genuinely local service

Related Stories

A television station for Norwich will create up to 14 jobs and provide an "unrivalled" broadcast news service, its operator has said.

Mustard TV, led by publisher Archant, has revealed more details of the channel's plan for its 12-year licence, awarded by Ofcom on Wednesday.

It will also develop a degree in television production with Norwich University College of the Arts (NUCA).

The city centre-based service will start broadcasting in autumn 2013.

News, current affairs, local history and entertainment will provide the bulk of the schedule, running daily from 06:00 until midnight.

'Develop talent'

Airtime will also be made available to "under-served" and "non-English speaking communities", said Fiona Ryder, Mustard TV managing director, who hopes the channel will reach 10,000 viewers.

Analysis

We now have a very crowded television landscape with all the national networks, Sky and cable channels so it will be very difficult for any new television station coming in, squeezing into that crowded market, to find an audience.

The danger is the whole thing might be a terrible damp squib.

"Mustard is about inclusive access to airtime and people should really think this is their channel," she said.

The channel aims to involve a number of local production companies and community film-makers.

Ms Ryder said the link-up with NUCA was part of an effort to work with the student community to develop "creative talent".

"Having come from a film school I'd have loved that chance," she said.

The channel is not seeking to compete with existing broadcasters, Ms Ryder confirmed.

'Strong position'

"Interactivity with the channel will be very high - you can't do that in the existing TV offer in the region," she said.

"We're not trying to compete, we're just different and we've spent a long time thinking about how to approach that.

"It'll be on channel 8 on Freeview, so between BBC Three and BBC Four - it's a very strong position to be in."

Prof John Last, principal of NUCA, said the link-up will "cement our reputation as a region with a clear media identity".

"NUCA students will be working closely with the new company to provide creative input and technical support," he said.

More on This Story

Related Stories

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

BBC Norfolk

Weather

Norfolk

Min. Night 17 °C

Features & Analysis

Elsewhere on the BBC

  • Cities and transport in 2050Transport in transit

    With global cities swelling, how will our systems cope and adapt in the future?

Programmes

  • A Cyprus beachFast Track Watch

    How the dream of a home in the sun was turned into a nightmare by the Cyprus banking crisis

BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.