CorpComms Magazine

Flintshire County Council is to launch its very own digital television channel as part of a year-long nationwide trial funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Sky and Virgin Media customers will be able to tune in to the Looking Local channel by the end of the month, while a wider audience will be able to access it through the new Freeview digi boxes to be released later in the year.

The content will be similar to that on the council's website, covering issues such as refuse collection and recycling, housing and council tax benefits, and leisure centre information. The information screened on the channel will also be accessible via mobile phones and Nintendo Wii games consoles, and will be updated monthly.

The government has provided over £15,000 to cover the first year of broadcast, after which the council will have to fund the project if they want it to continue. It is hoped that the channel will help 'improve communication with a far greater cross-section of Flintshire's population'.

Councillor Neville Phillips, Flintshire's executive member for corporate governance and strategy, said: 'If television does for us what it's done for Nick Clegg it'll put us top of the list!'

share me: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | Tweet