Solent TV
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Solent TV | |
|---|---|
| Launched | October 31, 2002 |
| Closed | 24 May 2007 |
| Owned by | Island Volunteers Group |
| Availability at time of closure | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Analogue | Channel 54 (735.25 MHz) from Rowridge (Isle of Wight) |
| Satellite | |
| Sky Digital | Channel 219 |
| Cable | |
| WightCable | Basic Channel |
Solent TV was an independent not-for-profit television channel broadcasting on the Isle of Wight. It was transmitted from the Rowridge transmitter on the Isle of Wight on UHF channel 54 (735.25 MHz). It began broadcasting in October 2002 but ceased trading on 24 May 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Launch onto Sky
After a false start in March 2006, the channel launched on the Sky satellite platform (ch 219) on 15 January 2007.
To enable the transition to Sky, Solent TV worked with Sony Broadcast and Broadcast Networks to upgrade Solent TV’s technical infrastructure by installing a turnkey solution to Digital and HD technology. The solution included a completely new Sony XDCAM HD camera system, allowing Solent TV to acquire all of their footage on this exciting new format; an HD-ready media server and media management system from Suitcase TV; a Miranda X-Station HD-ready playout system and the new Miranda Kaleido multiview system for playout. To link Solent TV to the Sky platform, a new Broadcast Networks H264 encoder system was used to provide the live link to Globecast, who in turn provided the uplink to Sky.
Until the Sky launch, the channel's content was streamed live in Windows Media format, as well as a collection of video on demand files such as the channel's news programme 'Solent Tonight'. Shortly after the Sky launch the live web stream ceased, and although the on-demand service continued, it was via Flash video format.
[edit] Website content and TV programming
The website carried a full news and sports service for the Isle of Wight and provided RSS feeds for the same: RSS Latest News Headlines and RSS Latest Sports Headlines.
Its many Isle of Wight programmes included.
Solent Tonight - The nightly weekday news programme covering news, sport and weather on the Island.
Extra Extra - This weekly debate programme allowed members of the public to quiz Isle of Wight Council members and other leading figures on current Isle of Wight issues.
Hannam’s Half Hour - Well loved entertainment guru John Hannam was joined for chat and insight into the life of a long list of local guests including former leader of the IOW council Morris Barton, Shaw Taylor and Ray Allen.
Painting On Location - Professional Isle of Wight artist Frank Jacobs took local amateurs to one of the Island's beauty spots, guiding them to achieve the best from their passion for painting.
Destination Isle of Wight - Isle of Wight promotion to the rest of the UK and Europe as a great holiday destination.
Solent TV Local Pin Board - Local community information for the Isle of Wight. Promoting worthwhile causes and charities free of charge.
Big Al Unleashed - A very popular programme featuring a simulcast of a Isle of Wight Radio phone-in show hosted by Alex Dyke.
The TV station's web site was by 2007 getting over 350,000 unique visits every month, and it was said to receive millions of hits every month. In a BBC report following the station's closure, it was revealed the station claimed it had 70,000 peak time viewers at any one time, despite the company earlier in the year saying it could not produce viewing figures as it was not on BARB.
[edit] Criticism
Despite its success, Solent TV was not without its detractors. While its news coverage on the Isle of Wight was widely accepted as being very good and the station broadcast many local programmes, it often relied upon external popular entertainment programmes such as Futbol Mundial and classic films - and these types of programmes complemented those made on the Island. Its predecessor, TV 12, featured almost entirely Isle of Wight based programmes.
The station was also criticised for not employing any type of sales team. Despite its move to Sky Digital - which presented good advertising opportunities - very few Isle of Wight companies wanted to become involved and no real advertising campaign to attract potential sponsors was ever put forward. Many critics felt that the station concentrated too heavily on its news output and lost sight of its finances. The station's directors were also criticised for engaging in such a costly project on Sky without the necessary funds to maintain it. The company's publicly available bank details revealed it lost almost £1,000,000 in the 2006 financial year, more than double its losses in 2005.
Although Solent TV managers denied approaching Isle of Wight Council for a rumoured £100,000 to keep it running while a rescue package was sought, senior councillor David Pugh was a guest on IW Radio's Alex Dyke phone-in in the days after Solent went off the air. He stated on the record that the council had been approached by Solent TV but the request had been turned down, saying 'We are not here to bail out failed companies. Could you imagine the public backlash and the precedent that would set if we said yes?' He acknowledged that Council Leader Andy Sutton had written a letter of support for any potential investors.
The company later acknowledged in a statement that it was searching for new investors but talks had failed.
On August 23 2007, it was announced the Charities Commission would be meeting with Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner to discuss why the warning signs that Solent TV and parent company Island Volunteers were not acted on. Andrew Turner said he wanted to know if job losses could have been prevented, and if public money was misused due to the collapse.[citation needed]
In mid-September, an article in the Isle of Wight County Press revealed that Solent TV's parent company Island Volunteers had spent £2.3m over five years. Island MP Andrew Turner said his meeting with the Charities Commission had been productive, and an investigation was underway in how the money was spent and if public funds had been misused.
Earlier in the year, Solent TV director Linda Ovnik went on record stating that not 10p of public money had been spent on the station.[citation needed]
Also in September, it was revealed several former Solent TV staff - who lost their jobs when the station went bust - successfully won a tribunal hearing for £17,000 claiming unfair dismissal.[citation needed]
[edit] Shutdown
At the start of 2007, the station was losing several thousand pounds a month but had said that it was on course to reduce its losses dramatically since its move to Sky and the dramatic increase in revenue should have taken it into profit by 2008. However, a statement on the Solent TV website on 24 May 2007 read:
- Solent TV will stop broadcasting tonight Thursday 24 May 2007 as the company ceases trading because it’s insolvent.
- The channel, which started terrestrial transmissions on the Isle of Wight in October 2002, expanded across Europe on the Sky satellite network in January 2007. Financial problems four months later mean company directors have decided to shut down the TV station despite talks with potential investors. Solent TV’s sister organisations, Island Volunteers, Community Solutions and DV Media, are also ceasing to trade. All employees are being made redundant.
Solent TV's final programme was a shorter-than-normal edition of the local news programme, Solent Tonight.
The day after the company announced its closure, much of its new HD equipment was taken away by investors.
