Newspaper journalists are getting the chance to present on screeen after an independent publisher launched a dedicated television channel for the county it serves.

The KM Group’s KMTV station, previouslty only available online, is now live on Freeview and Virgin in Kent, offering news, sport and entertainment programming.

The channel has launched in partnership with the University of Kent, and the core team behind the station are based at its Medway campus, with others working remotely from the group’s other offices.

Programmes include Kent Tonight, an hour-long news programme, while KM’s radio station kmfm’s breakfast show will also be streamed every morning.

From left: KMTV’s Andy Richards, Louisa Britton and Josie Hannett

The group’s business editor Chris Price will host a show called Chris & Co, while political editor Paul Francis will present regular analysis of goings on in both Kent and Westminster.

KM Group editorial director Ian Carter said: “We were delighted to launch on Freeview and Virgin four years after we were first awarded the licence. Our partnership with the University of Kent has been vital to making this project come to fruition.

“We’ve always been clear that the terrestrial service is only one strand. As all publishers recognise, video will continue to increase in importance. This development means we can now embed really high-quality video packages on KentOnline, stream our other programming.

“It’s also a natural development for KM, sitting alongside our print, digital and radio output.”