That's Solent

That's Solent
Launched 26th November 2014 [1]
Owned by That's Solent Ltd
Country United Kingdom
Website http://www.thatssolent.com/ http://www.thatstv.com/
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview Channel 8
Cable
Virgin Media Channel 159

That's Solent is a local television station on the south coast of England.

Background

That's Solent is a local TV channel, that according to Ofcom (the UK telecoms regulator) , broadcasts to Southampton including Eastleigh, Fareham and parts of the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Winchester. Ofcom granted a licence to That's Solent on 14 August 2014 with a commencement date of 26 November 2014 and the licence, subject to conditions, will remain in force until 25 November 2025.[2] [3]

The original plan was for That's Solent to be launched on 26 June 2014, however this was postponed until the 22 October 2014. The station finally went live on 26 November 2014.[1][2][4] That's Solent is part of the roll out of Local Freeview TV channels initiative that covers the United Kingdom.[5]

TV presenter and Childline founder, Esther Rantzen will be the new station's VP of Programming and the host of its Sunday evening flagship magazine show. Alan Titchmarsh will film a sailing trip around the Isle of Wight.[6][7]

Company

That's Solent Limited was licensed by the Ofcom in 2012 after a bidding process. That's Solent Ltd is owned by SIX TV Ltd, trading as That's TV, with the That's Media Ltd as the ultimate parent company. [8][9]

Broadcasting and reception

That's Solent is broadcast from the Rowridge transmitting station on the Isle of Wight and covers the area around the Solent and Southampton Water. The studios are based at Highbury College in Cosham.[10]

Programming

The channel is backed by Newsquest and Johnston Press, who own the Southern Daily Echo and Portsmouth's The News, who will provide the local news content for the new channel.[11][12]

An indicative programme schedule for That's Solent has been published, which includes a number of news broadcasts and a variety of local programming.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "That's Solent TV station begins broadcasting on Freeview". Southern Daily Echo. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Copy of That's Solent Broadcasting Licence" (PDF). Ofcom. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "That's Solent wins Local TV license for Southampton". Isle of Wight News. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  4. ↑ "About Us". That's TV. Retrieved 2014-06-26.
  5. ↑ "Freeview adds local TV and HD slots". Broadcast Now. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  6. ↑ "Local TV in Southampton: That's Solent to sail in with Esther Ranzten and Alan Titchmarsh". Recombu. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  7. ↑ "Esther Rantzen behind bid for Southampton TV channel". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  8. ↑ "Ofcom awards local TV licence to Southampton company backed by Johnston Press and Newsquest". Press Gazette. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  9. ↑ "That's Solent licence application". Ofcom. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  10. ↑ "Predicted That's Solent Coverage". Recombu. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  11. ↑ "New local TV channel". ITV. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  12. ↑ "Rival publishers collaborate over local TV bid". Hold The Front Page. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  13. ↑ "That's Solent Indicative Programme Schedule". Ofcom. Retrieved 2013-08-04.