Local Television Limited

Local Television Limited is a United Kingdom broadcaster focused on local television services for cities and regions across England and Wales. The business was originally developed under the Made Television name and built a network through a combination of Ofcom-awarded local television licences, acquisitions of existing stations, and the centralised production and distribution of locally oriented programming. Its service footprint has included Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, North Wales, Teesside, and Tyne and Wear, with a later attempt to operate a Manchester service and a subsequent expansion into London. The company’s initial growth followed the United Kingdom’s expansion of licensed local television. Ofcom awarded the business licences for Bristol and Cardiff in 2012, followed by a licence covering Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead later that year, and licences for Leeds and Teesside in 2013. The first station, Made in Bristol, launched in October 2014, followed shortly by Made in Cardiff, Made in Leeds and Made in Tyne & Wear. Further launches extended the network to Teesside and North Wales in 2017. Local Television also expanded by acquiring distressed or independently operated services. Bay TV Liverpool entered administration before being acquired and relaunched as Made in Liverpool in 2016. The company bought Big Centre TV later that year and relaunched it as Made in Birmingham. These acquisitions gave the network access to additional local licences and production facilities while increasing the scale of its shared programming operation. The network’s model changed substantially after 2017. Rather than producing extensive individual local schedules in every area, the company increasingly combined limited local news and features with centrally supplied or acquired programming. A supply agreement with Sony Pictures Television brought blocks of TruTV programming to the Made channels in 2017, followed later that year by substantial simulcasts of CBS Reality. In November 2017, production was reorganised around Leeds and Birmingham, resulting in reported redundancies and a reduction in local studio output. Daily network programmes introduced after the restructuring were subsequently replaced by recorded local news, sport and feature blocks. The company changed its corporate and channel branding from Made Television to Local TV Limited in August 2018. It continued to operate local services while also consolidating distribution. Some localised satellite feeds were withdrawn in 2018, and the satellite strategy was further unified in 2021 when several services were brought together under a single Local TV feed. A Manchester service began on a separate local multiplex arrangement in January 2021 but left Freeview in December of that year. In 2023, the channels carried TalkTV news programming during the day and adopted the TalkTV name across the network in October. Following the closure of TalkTV’s broadcast television operation, the channels returned to their previous Local TV branding in 2024. In January 2025, the company acquired the London Live licence; London Live closed at the end of 19 January and was immediately replaced by London TV. Local Television therefore remains an active regional broadcaster, although its operating model is more centralised and schedule-sharing oriented than the fully localised service originally envisaged.

Local Television Limited emerged from the United Kingdom’s local television licensing programme and initially operated under the Made Television name. In September 2012, Ofcom awarded the company licences for Bristol and Cardiff. A further licence covering Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead followed three months later. The company then secured a Leeds licence in February 2013 and a Teesside licence in November of the same year. The network began broadcasting with Made in Bristol in October 2014. Made in Cardiff followed approximately one week later, while Made in Leeds and Made in Tyne & Wear launched in November. In March 2015, the company introduced OnView, an on-demand service, and later added live streaming. These services complemented the broadcast channels and provided an alternative route for viewers to access local programming. Expansion continued through acquisitions. Bay TV Liverpool entered administration in 2016 and was acquired by the company, returning to air as Made in Liverpool in October. In the same year, the company acquired Big Centre TV, a Walsall-based local station, and relaunched it as Made in Birmingham in November. Made in Teesside launched in March 2017, followed by Made in North Wales in April, bringing the network’s local footprint to a broad collection of English and Welsh communities. The network increasingly relied on a hybrid schedule. In May 2017, the Made channels began carrying blocks of TruTV programming under a supply arrangement with Sony Pictures Television. Later that year, they began carrying extended CBS Reality simulcasts. These acquisitions filled substantial portions of the schedule alongside local news, sport and feature content. A major operational restructuring took place in November 2017. Local production was reduced and daily news and magazine output was concentrated at the Leeds and Birmingham operations. Reports at the time indicated that about 40 employees were made redundant. Two weekday programmes, Made TV News and The Big Daily, were subsequently introduced but were discontinued in February 2018. They were replaced by rolling blocks of recorded local news, sport and features. Distribution was also consolidated: in January 2018, several localised satellite services were replaced by a generic Made Television feed, while the Cardiff service also moved to the shared network arrangement. On 19 August 2018, Made Television became Local TV Limited and the channels adopted city- or region-based Local TV names. The company retained production and office facilities in several locations, including Leeds, Cardiff, Liverpool and Sunderland, while network playout and presentation were managed from Leeds. In 2021, the organisation experimented with a Manchester service transmitted through a legacy Greater Manchester multiplex rather than the principal local television slot. That service left Freeview in December 2021. The company’s satellite distribution was further consolidated in 2021. Several regional feeds were removed from their previous Sky positions and merged into a single Local TV service carrying local news blocks for the different areas. In 2022, Ofcom agreed to the closure of production centres in Birmingham, Bristol and Teesside after the company decided to retain remote working practices developed during the COVID-19 period. During 2023, Local TV channels carried TalkTV news programmes during daytime hours and retained scheduled local news bulletins. The whole group was temporarily rebranded as TalkTV in October. After TalkTV closed its broadcast television service, the channels reverted to Local TV branding in 2024. In January 2025, the company acquired the licence previously used by London Live. London Live ended at 23:59 on 19 January, and London TV began immediately afterward. The current business is therefore a multi-region local broadcaster whose service mix combines scheduled local news with networked and acquired programming.

1. 2025London TV launches

   London TV replaced London Live following Local Television’s acquisition of the London licence.

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2. 2023Temporary TalkTV network branding

   The network adopted TalkTV branding while carrying TalkTV news output.

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3. 2021Manchester service begins

   A Manchester-targeted service began broadcasting through a separate Greater Manchester multiplex.

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4. 2018Rebrand to Local TV

   Made Television became Local TV Limited and its channels adopted the Local TV identity.

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5. 2017North Wales and Teesside services launch

   Made in Teesside and Made in North Wales extended the network’s coverage.

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6. 2016Liverpool and Birmingham expansion

   Bay TV Liverpool and Big Centre TV were acquired and relaunched as Made in Liverpool and Made in Birmingham.

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7. 2015OnView and live streaming introduced

   The network expanded beyond linear broadcasting with an on-demand service and later live streaming.

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8. 2014Made in Bristol launches

   Made in Bristol became the company’s first broadcast local television channel.

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9. 2013Leeds and Teesside licences secured

   The company gained licences for Leeds and the Middlesbrough and Teesside area.

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10. 2012Initial local television licences awarded

    Ofcom awarded the company licences for local television services in Bristol and Cardiff.

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11. 2012Tyne and Wear licence added

    A third licence was granted for the Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead area.

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A UK local television network combining regional news and community programming with centrally produced, acquired and simulcast entertainment content.

• Local TV regional channelsLocal television broadcasting2014

  The company operates a group of regional television services aimed at distinct UK cities and areas. Their schedules combine local news, sport and community features with centrally produced programmes and acquired factual-entertainment content. The network has used both individual regional feeds and consolidated satellite distribution, reflecting a shift from highly localised schedules toward a more centralised operating model.

• OnViewOn-demand video service2015

  OnView was the network’s on-demand offering, introduced to make Local TV programming available outside the linear broadcast schedule. It was followed by live streaming, extending the group’s distribution beyond terrestrial and satellite television.

• London TVLocal television channel2025

  London TV is the company’s London local television service. It replaced London Live immediately after the previous service ended in January 2025 and serves London and surrounding areas through the acquired London local television licence.

• 2025Acquire the London Live licenceM&A

  The company pursued a London presence within the UK local television market.

  What changed. Local Television acquired the licence previously used by London Live and launched London TV immediately after London Live closed.

  Aftermath. The transaction extended the network’s licensed footprint to London and surrounding areas.

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• 2023Adopt TalkTV network brandingStrategy

  The channels began carrying TalkTV news programmes during daytime hours while retaining scheduled local bulletins.

  What changed. All eight channels were rebranded under the TalkTV name on 18 October 2023.

  Aftermath. Following the closure of TalkTV on broadcast television, the channels returned to Local TV branding in 2024.

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• 2022Close selected production centresStrategy

  The company reviewed its operating structure after adopting remote working practices developed during the COVID-19 period.

  What changed. Ofcom agreed to the proposed closure of production centres in Birmingham, Bristol and Teesside.

  Aftermath. The decision reinforced the network’s more centralised and remote-working-oriented production model.

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• 2021Launch a Manchester serviceProduct launch

  Local TV sought a presence in Manchester despite another broadcaster holding the principal official local television slot.

  What changed. The company launched Local TV Manchester on a lower-numbered position using the legacy Greater Manchester multiplex.

  Aftermath. The service left Freeview in December 2021 and its released capacity was allocated to another Greater Manchester channel.

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• 2018Rebrand the network as Local TVStrategy

  The Made Television identity covered a network that had expanded through new licences and acquisitions.

  What changed. The company changed its name to Local TV Limited and renamed its channels around their local areas.

  Aftermath. The Local TV identity became the principal brand for the group’s regional services, with a temporary TalkTV rebrand occurring in 2023 before Local TV branding returned in 2024.

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• 2017Centralise local productionStrategy

  The network faced the operational challenge of producing local content across a growing number of stations while also carrying shared programming.

  What changed. Production of daily news and magazine programming was concentrated at the Leeds and Birmingham channels, with local output reduced elsewhere.

  Aftermath. Around 40 redundancies were reported, and the network later replaced its two weekday programmes with rolling recorded blocks of local news, sport and features.

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• 2025London TV replaces London Live

  Local Television acquired the London Live licence and replaced the service with London TV on 19 January.

  M&AProduct launch
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• 2024Local TV branding returns after TalkTV broadcast closure

  The channels returned to their Local TV identities after TalkTV ended its broadcast television operation.

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• 2023Local TV channels adopt TalkTV branding

  The network began carrying TalkTV news programming and rebranded its channels under the TalkTV name in October.

  Product generation
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• 2021Local TV launches a Manchester service

  Local TV began broadcasting a Manchester-targeted service using a multiplex arrangement separate from the official local television service.

  Product launch
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• 2021Local TV Manchester leaves Freeview

  The Manchester service ceased Freeview transmission and its released capacity was assigned to another Greater Manchester channel.

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• 2018Made Television becomes Local TV Limited

  The company and its local channels adopted Local TV branding, replacing the Made Television identity.

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• 2017Network production restructuring leads to local programming cuts

  Local production was reorganised around Leeds and Birmingham, reducing local studio output and reportedly resulting in approximately 40 redundancies.

  Leadership change
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• 2017Made channels add TruTV and CBS Reality programming

  The network added scheduled blocks of acquired programming from TruTV and later CBS Reality to supplement its local content.

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• 2013Made Television expands its licensed footprint

  The company obtained additional local television licences covering the Tyne and Wear area, Leeds and Teesside.

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• 2012Made Television receives local TV licences for Bristol and Cardiff

  Ofcom awarded the company licences to provide local television services in Bristol and Cardiff, establishing the foundation of its network.

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1. Local TV Limited
2. Local TV Limited official website