Liverpool TV
A local television station serving Liverpool and the surrounding area in northwest England.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Liverpool TV is a local television service serving Liverpool, the Liverpool City Region and nearby parts of northwest England. The service is operated by Local Television Limited and forms part of a wider group of local television stations in the United Kingdom. Its studios and offices are in Toxteth, Liverpool. Although the station is currently identified as Liverpool TV, it has operated under several names, most notably Bay TV Liverpool, Made in Liverpool, LOCAL TV Liverpool and TalkLiverpool. The service began in November 2011 as Bay TV Liverpool, initially operating as a video-on-demand platform focused on locally produced material. Its early work was recognised when it won Best Media Website at the 2013 Prolific North Awards. Bay TV subsequently pursued a conventional local television licence. Ofcom awarded it a licence on 21 February 2013 for a service covering the Liverpool City Region, with the proposed coverage also extending to Wigan and parts of Cheshire. The original plans envisaged a substantial local schedule, including ten hours of local programming each day, weekday news output and a weekly political programme. The linear channel launched on Freeview channel 8 on 4 December 2014. It later moved to channel 7 after the closure of BBC Three created space in the Freeview numbering arrangement. The station's original business model proved difficult to sustain. In August 2016, Bay TV Liverpool entered administration with reported liabilities of £451,575. The debts included amounts owed to HM Revenue and Customs, shareholder loans and other trade and expense creditors. Made Television acquired the station shortly afterwards for an undisclosed amount, having previously been among the unsuccessful bidders for the Liverpool local television licence. Bay TV ended its broadcast under that name on 9 October 2016 and relaunched as Made in Liverpool on 19 October. The service subsequently expanded its distribution to Sky and digital satellite platforms, while also becoming part of the programming and operational structure of the Made Television network. Local output continued, but the channel increasingly carried programming shared with other stations and acquired content. In 2017, it carried scheduled blocks from TruTV under a supply agreement with Sony Pictures Television, and later carried extensive blocks from CBS Reality. A restructuring in late 2017 reduced the amount of bespoke Liverpool studio production. The dedicated local news programme was discontinued, and much of the remaining local output was centralised or moved to other stations in the network. In January 2018, the service ceased its separate digital-satellite operation and was replaced there by a generic Made Television network feed containing a limited local news block for several licence areas, including Liverpool. On terrestrial television, the Liverpool service continued to provide locally relevant programming, although its schedule became increasingly dominated by networked and acquired material. The service has been required to broadcast 35 hours per week of first-run local programming, and its local schedule has included the Merseyside Live rolling block of local news, sport and features. The channel was renamed LOCAL TV Liverpool in 2021 as part of an intended Northern TV Network linking Liverpool with local television services in Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds. In October 2023, it adopted the TalkLiverpool name in connection with a partnership involving Montgomery Media and News UK's TalkTV. When TalkTV ended its national broadcasting operation in April 2024, the Liverpool service reverted to the Liverpool TV name. The station is transmitted terrestrially through the Storeton relay transmitter, using a localised signal associated with the Winter Hill transmission infrastructure. Its current service is primarily a local Freeview operation and is not generally available through satellite or cable. Programming has included Liverpool-area news, sport and features, material from other Local Television stations, and acquired factual-entertainment programming. The brand's history illustrates the financial and programming pressures faced by small UK local television services, including reliance on shared schedules, centralised production and third-party content.
History
Liverpool TV originated as Bay TV Liverpool, a local digital media initiative launched in November 2011. The initial service operated on a video-on-demand basis and concentrated on locally produced programming for Liverpool and the surrounding area. Its online work received industry recognition in 2013, when it won Best Media Website at the Prolific North Awards. On 21 February 2013, Ofcom awarded Bay TV a local television licence. The planned licence area included the Liverpool City Region, Wigan and parts of Cheshire. Bay TV's proposed schedule was ambitious for a small local broadcaster: it intended to provide ten hours of local programming per day, including two and a half hours of weekday news and a weekly political programme. The linear channel began broadcasting on Freeview channel 8 on 4 December 2014 at 5:30 p.m. It later moved to channel 7 after the closure of BBC Three. The business encountered financial problems and entered administration in August 2016. Reported liabilities totalled £451,575, comprising tax debt to HM Revenue and Customs, shareholder loans and other trade and expense creditors. Made Television bought the station shortly afterwards for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition was significant because Made Television had previously competed unsuccessfully for the Liverpool local licence. Bay TV stopped broadcasting at 11 p.m. on 9 October 2016 and relaunched as Made in Liverpool at 6 p.m. on 19 October. The renamed station became part of the Made Television network. It later appeared on Sky and digital satellite platforms, while its terrestrial output combined local programming with material produced by sister stations and acquired content. In May 2017, the channel began carrying scheduled blocks from the UK and Ireland version of TruTV under a supply agreement with Sony Pictures Television. By late 2017, the wider Made network was also carrying extended CBS Reality blocks. A restructuring in November 2017 reduced the Liverpool operation's locally produced output. Daily news and magazine production was moved to other Made stations, and the dedicated local news programme was discontinued. In January 2018, the service stopped broadcasting as a distinct channel on digital satellite and was replaced by a generic Made Television network feed. That feed included a daily local-news block for several licence areas, including Liverpool. On terrestrial television, the Liverpool service retained local output, including the Merseyside Live rolling block of local news, sport and features. The station's identity changed several more times. In 2021, it was renamed LOCAL TV Liverpool, reflecting a plan to connect the service with local stations in Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds under a proposed Northern TV Network. In October 2023, it became TalkLiverpool through a partnership involving Montgomery Media and News UK's TalkTV. TalkTV closed its national broadcasting operation in April 2024, after which the Liverpool service returned to the Liverpool TV name. The channel continues to operate as a local Freeview service. Its signal is carried through the Storeton relay transmitter and the Winter Hill transmission infrastructure using a localised beam. The service is not generally available on satellite or cable. Its schedule has included local news, sport and features, programming from other Local Television stations and acquired programmes from independent producers and other broadcasters. The station is required to provide 35 hours per week of first-run local programming, although its schedule has also relied heavily on networked and acquired content.
- 2024
Return to Liverpool TV
[1]The channel reverts to the Liverpool TV name after TalkTV ends its national broadcasting operation.
- 2023
TalkLiverpool rebrand
[1]The service adopts the TalkLiverpool name through a partnership involving TalkTV.
- 2021
LOCAL TV Liverpool rebrand
[1]The station adopts the LOCAL TV Liverpool identity as part of a proposed northern local-TV network.
- 2016
Administration and acquisition
[1]Bay TV enters administration and is acquired by Made Television.
- 2016
Made in Liverpool relaunch
[1]The Bay TV brand is replaced by Made in Liverpool.
- 2014
Freeview launch
[1]The channel begins linear broadcasting on Freeview channel 8.
- 2013
Ofcom awards local television licence
[1]Bay TV receives a licence to operate a linear local television service for Liverpool and nearby areas.
- 2011
Bay TV Liverpool launches
[1]The service begins as a local video-on-demand operation producing Liverpool-area content.
Products and positioning
A community-focused local television service for Liverpool and the surrounding northwest England area, combining locally produced news and features with programming shared across the Local Television network and acquired from external broadcasters.
Local television service · 2014
Liverpool TV local channel
The principal offering is a local Freeview television service for Liverpool and nearby parts of northwest England. It carries locally produced news, sport and features alongside programming shared by Local Television stations and acquired content from external broadcasters. The service has operated under several identities, including Bay TV Liverpool, Made in Liverpool, LOCAL TV Liverpool and TalkLiverpool.
Local news and features
Merseyside Live
Merseyside Live is a rolling local programming block built around Liverpool-area news, sport and features. It has been scheduled as a recurring evening block and has also appeared in shorter form on networked feeds. The programme represents the station's continuing local editorial output within a schedule otherwise containing networked and acquired material.
Video on demand · 2011
Bay TV video-on-demand service
The original Bay TV offering was a local video-on-demand service launched before the linear television channel. It focused on producing and distributing Liverpool-area content online and established the station's local-media identity before the later Freeview launch.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Northern TV Network plan
Liverpool · Manchester · Newcastle · Leeds
The LOCAL TV Liverpool identity was introduced as part of a proposed plan to connect local television services in several northern English cities under a Northern TV Network.
Outcome. The intended network concept was followed by later branding changes, including the TalkLiverpool identity and the subsequent return to Liverpool TV.
Brand decisions
2023
TalkLiverpool rebrandStrategyBackground
The service entered a partnership involving Montgomery Media and News UK's TalkTV.
Action taken
The station adopted the TalkLiverpool name.
Aftermath
The name was abandoned in 2024 after TalkTV ended its national broadcasting operation.
2018
Replacement of separate satellite feedStrategyBackground
The service had been available on digital satellite after the Made in Liverpool relaunch.
Action taken
The separate satellite service was replaced by a generic Made Television network feed with a limited local-news block.
Aftermath
The Liverpool service remained primarily a local terrestrial operation.
2017
Reduction and centralisation of local productionStrategyBackground
The Made Television network restructured its operations while increasing the use of shared and acquired programming.
Action taken
Daily news and magazine production was transferred to other Made stations and the bespoke Liverpool local news programme was ended.
Aftermath
Liverpool output continued in a more limited and network-integrated form.
2016
Acquisition by Made TelevisionM&ABackground
Bay TV entered administration with reported debts and other liabilities.
Action taken
Made Television acquired the station for an undisclosed sum and integrated it into its local-TV group.
Aftermath
The station was relaunched as Made in Liverpool.
2013
Pursuit of a linear local television licenceOtherBackground
Bay TV began as a video-on-demand service and sought permission to operate a conventional local television channel.
Action taken
Ofcom awarded the station a local television licence covering Liverpool and nearby areas.
Aftermath
The channel launched on Freeview in December 2014.
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