The boss of a long-standing press agency has won the battle to deliver Local TV services in Liverpool.

Media watchdog Ofcom announced Bay TV Liverpool Ltd as the preferred bidder to run the local TV station in the city, which will be broadcast on Freeview Channel 8 from later this year.

The company is run by Chris Johnson who also managing director of Liverpool-based agency Mercury Press.

The agency will be responsible for providing news coverage for the new station which will serve a potential audience of around 2.8m.

Bay TV Liverpool executives Chris Kerr and Chris Johnson celebrate their Local TV bid triumph

Bay TV was chosen from five bidders with Made in Liverpool, Metro 8 Liverpool,  YourTV Liverpool and Phil Redmond’s Our-TV those losing out.

Ofcom said Bay TV had the strongest programming proposition and would “meet the needs of the area to the greatest extent.”

It said:  “Bay TV Liverpool’s application demonstrated the greatest understanding of the needs of the local area and put forward programming proposals which would address those needs to the greatest extent.

“In addition, Bay TV Liverpool had established partnerships within the local area which the BLC considered would further strengthen its proposals. The BLC noted that the programming proposals would be delivered by a strong team with relevant television experience.

Said Chris: “We are thrilled and delighted to have won the licence. I want to thank all the team at Bay TV Liverpool who have worked so hard to pull this off.

“With the new licence we will soon be on Channel 8 on Freeview and we are 100% committed to providing a station the people of Liverpool and surrounding areas can really call their own. ”

The company said in its application that Mercury Press would provide Bay TV with “the constant flow of news and information which it delivers to national newspapers and magazines, international syndication partners, and national, regional and local broadcasters.”

Another partner, ISN TV, will provide access to press conferences at Premier League matches, coverage of the Everton and Liverpool FC youth development schemes and access to ISN TV’s camera crews.

Bay TV Liverpool will employ a total of 19 staff, broadcasting locally made programmes covering news, politics, current affairs, entertainment and its own features.

The new station will cover not only the Liverpool city region, including Halton but also Wigan and parts of Cheshire.

Former Liverpool Captain Robbie Fowler and radio personality Pete Price are part of the Bay TV Liverpool team.

A weekly politics and local issues debate, filmed on location and rotating around the local boroughs, will be presented by veteran broadcaster Liam Fogerty.