Channel 5: Draft Invitation To Apply For Operating Licence

EDM number 849 in 1991-92, proposed by Edward O'Hara on 11/03/1992.

That this House notes the prescriptions suggested by the Independent Televison Commission for the granting of a licence for the new Channel 5, namely, that the service should be high cost, the operator must retune videos before operation of the service, and the service should cover at least 30 per cent. of the transmission area of the country in the first year; is concerned that these conditions will require a punitively high share of national advertising revenue to sustain costs and will further require that the new channel be based in London, and therefore be precluded from developing a strong regional basis; and recommends that the Independent Television Commission should reconsider these draconian prescriptions, give positive consideration to providing conditions which can give Channel 5 a strong regional emphasis, and extend the period of debate for these important issues to be a thoroughly discussed.

This motion has been signed by a total of 18 MPs.