Channel Five Interest Revived

Three separate submissions to the ITC indicate a revival of interest in the development of a fifth national TV channel. The ITC rejected the only bid for C5,from a Thames TV-led consortium, last December.

Chairman of the MAI Group Lord Hollick has formally written to the ITC advocating the re-advertisement of Channel Five. His company has the Meridian franchise in the south-east, an area unlikely to be able to receive the Channel Five signal.

Thames TV, a subsidiary of Pearson, has also submitted a letter of interest in a re-advertisement. Thames are still in talks with media company Time-Warner and the Cox Group about a possible bid for C5.

The IPA has also renewed its call for the ITC to fulfil its obligations and re-advertise the C5 licence under the terms of the 1990 Broadcasting Act. Following its consultative document in July the IPA’s Broadcasting Working Party Chairman Adrian Birchall said: “Despite the recent recession the long- term cost of television is still running well ahead of inflation. Satellite is increasingly concentrating on subscription revenue and there’s a real need for more competition for TV advertising to keep costs in check.”

The IPA is also very optimistic about the revenue prospects for C5, estimating that the channel could achieve £212 million on a “fast build” scenario by the year 2000.