Lo and Curran welcome digital licence for Northern Visions

South Belfast MLA Anna Lo and Laganbank Councillor Cathy Curran have congratulated Northern Visions, after the station was awarded the first local digital TV licence in Northern Ireland.

Northern Visions was awarded the licence by Ofcom, after new legislation was introduced enabling the regulator to issue local TV licences.

Awarded for up to 12 months, Northern Visions will broadcast on a specific ‘multiplex’, a discrete amount of spectrum reserved for local TV broadcasting on DTT. It is hoped the station will be up and running as early as 2013.

Anna Lo MLA said: “This is fantastic news for the team at Northern Visions and for local viewers across Belfast. Well done to all involved.

“Northern Visions makes a great contribution to the arts and creative industry in Belfast. I have always supported this organisation and can see the benefits it brings to the local community. I am looking forward to the station’s launch and seeing what original programming the team has lined up.

Councillor Cathy Curran added: “This is great news for Northern Visions, an organisation Anna and I have always fully supported.

“I want to congratulate all involved in the hard work that led to Northern Visions receiving this licence. It is an exciting time for programming in Belfast and hopefully this will inspire other local stations across Northern Ireland to work towards achieving their own local digital TV licence.”