ITC invites applications for Lanarkshire licence

The Independent Television Commission have issued a formal invitation to apply for a local television Restricted Service Licence (RSL) for Lanarkshire (Hamilton, Motherwell and East Kilbride).
The licence is currently held by Thistle Technology Group Limited and will expire on March 29 2003.
The service is to be provided on channel 48, from the existing transmitter site at Black Hill. Coverage can be expected to extend southwards from Airdrie to include much of East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell, Wishaw, Larkhall, Strathaven and rural areas of South Lanarkshire.
Licences for local television services are awarded for a term of four years, but they are subject to the continuing availability of the frequency channel, and consequently may be revoked if the identified frequency channel is required for any higher priority use. The award of a licence does not imply any warranty on the part of the ITC as to the size or location of the area actually capable of receiving the licensed service.
The existing licensee is invited to apply for the licence, as are other interested parties. Where there are competing applications the ITC will apply its procedures for competing applications, as set out in the Notes for the Guidance of Licence
Applications, accompanied by the non-refundable application fee of £250, should be sent to the ITC's Head of Licensing and must be received at the ITC's London office no later than noon on Friday November 1 2002.
The ITC hopes to announce the award of the licence by the end of the year.
(GB)