Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which projects in Wales have been (a) considered and (b) chosen for local television licences since 2010.

In developing a framework for licensing local television, Ofcom assessed the technical feasibility of transmitting local television services at a number of locations in Wales. Illustrative technical plans were produced for six suitable locations: Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, Mold, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest. The choice of locations was governed by the position of television transmitter masts and the availability of spectrum at each location. Given these constraints, it is not possible to provide local TV services via terrestrial TV everywhere in Wales – the same situation exists in England Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Ofcom advertised licences for local television services in four locations: Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor and Mold. Ofcom received no expressions of interest from any parties wishing to launch a service in either Haverfordwest or Carmarthen. Licences have been awarded for Cardiff, Swansea and Mold and statements of these licence awards are published on Ofcom’s website. Ofcom decided not to award the local TV licence to the sole bidder for Bangor licence.