Local TV

No, and Sheffield Live is using a directional beam, that reduces the potential audience even further.

Also as pointed out there are four other main transmitters used in the city (Emley Moor, Belmont, Bilsdale, and even Waltham !)

I'm thinking that this proves that Local TV should have been provided via the Internet with some of that gifted Licence Fee being used towards advertising the hub website (and maybe the Local TV operators). Leaving the TV to the BBC/ITV Regional services would probably be best (with ITV gaining some help via the amendment/abolishing of the Contract Rights Renewal agreement).

It also shows that my idea for Local TV via Channel 5 probably wouldn't have worked to be honest, as generally they gain a lower audience anyway...how much difference would Local TV make?

Haven't been able to watch Sheffield live today, but apparently they managed to get to the end of the news bulletin without falling off air.

Unfortunately, I'm still yet to read a positive comment (excluding the ones along the lines of "they're trying really hard" or "it could have been worse"). One comment is suggesting its all an elaborate spoof. Spending an hour talking (and only talking, in a "studio" that has to be seen to be believed) about yourself on opening night would suggest they may be right.

I've not seen as much of the channel as I'd have liked, but the overall feel is rather more "enthusiastic amateur" than any of the other stations we've seen so far. And possibly will again.

At the moment, what's actually showing differs from the EPG listing and the schedule the channel tweeted earlier, so actually finding something to watch is a little tricky.

There was a news update at 8pm that started with a rather nice looking, if overly long and meandering title sequence (scenes of the city with a sort of watercolour effect) which was sharply contrasted by a ridiculously distracting abstract animation of the earth spinning in space behind the presenter!

Early days...

Edit: the channel also has a nightmarish filler loop that sounds like the sort of off-kilter etherial audio you'd play to someone you were trying to get information out of. Not very inviting to channel-surfers!

Edit 2: Apologies for the bumps, but the music show they're now playing is just a simulcast with the radio station, so we get to see both "DJ"s... sitting looking down at their phones! London Live this ain't

I think that's their ident. I've seen it tacked onto the start of a couple of their online videos. There's another one which has the logo flying round the screen with some girl saying "Sheffield live". We got to see it 6 times in a row yesterday when they went to an ad break.

Please, we need video of all this. It sounds so fantastically dreadful.

I will take back **some** of the criticisms for London Live after I see Sheffield Live.

I notice that Sheffield Live's flagship news bulletin goes out 6.30pm - 7pm, which is frankly ridiculous scheduling at the same time as BBC regional news. These local channels need to get a grip on scheduling if they hope to ever reach an audience.

Yep - that's madness. Schedule your local news against the incredibly strong BBC local news offering? I'd have thought 1730-1800 (early for many - but a softer target) or 1900-1930 would make more sense surely?

Or both, like Channel 5 used to do before Neighbours arrived.

I appreciate that Ofcom wanted to spread the ownership of local licences, but from what I've seen to date, most have ended up in the hands of complete idiots who know nothing about the art of scheduling or indeed the art of TV!

I can see an argument for letting new players try new things, and challenge the 'way things are done'...

But...

I'm not sure there's much of that going on... It's just mostly bad TV, dull TV, or worst of all, bad dull TV... And badly scheduled in many cases.

I did consider the issue of multiple transmitters being used in the town, which leads to viewers in some cases watching the wrong edition of Look North or East Midlands Today that the 6.30pm bulletin could capitalise on that. However it appears to share the same tx as that which shows Look North Leeds, so it's not going to be too much of an advantage.