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Harvey sounds note of caution over local TV

Newspaper Society president Georgina Harvey has sounded a fresh note of caution over the government’s plans for a network of Local TV stations, some of which could be owned by newspaper publishers.

Ms Harvey, who is also managing director of Trinity Mirror Regionals said the economics of local TV did not stack up, echoing comments made by Trinity’s chief executive Sly Bailey last year.

She also said there was a danger that local television could take some advertising away from local newspapers in the short term if the stations were to receive subsidies from the BBC licence fee.

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt says he now favours a series of individual local TV stations rather than the ‘national spine’ approach originally on the table. The government’s final proposals will be set out next month.