Local TV

What Local TV does

Local TV Ltd is a privately held UK local broadcast television operator founded in 2017 following David Montgomery's acquisition of the majority share. The company owns and operates nine licensed regional television channels covering London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, North Wales, Teesside, and Tyne & Wear, collectively reaching approximately 60% of UK television households. Content is distributed via Freeview digital terrestrial television, the Freely streaming platform, YouTube live streaming, and the uklocal.tv network of regional websites, with the company self-describing as the largest local broadcast television group in the UK.

The company's product portfolio consists of nine regional television channels plus a YouTube channel network and a bundled advertising service targeting local businesses. Technically, the stack is conventional broadcast media: DTT carriage on Freeview channels 7 and 8, Freely streaming, YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed player, and standard web infrastructure (Google Fonts, Google Analytics, 1PlusX AG for advertising data). No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or developer-facing APIs are disclosed. The audience is reported as 2M+ monthly viewers (TV Analytics 3-minute reach, Nov 2022).

Local TV operates an advertising-only revenue model, selling TV airtime and digital/social ad placements to local businesses and SMBs. The company states it has supported over 200 advertisers, including free airtime placements. There are no subscription fees, no premium tiers, and no disclosed ad rates. Distribution of advertising inventory is direct via phone, email, and the website. The company is headquartered in Leeds (registered office) and London (corporate), is led by Chairman David Montgomery, CEO Lesley Mackenzie, and Head of Channels Jordan Mann, and has no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or acquisitions.

Name

Local TV

Legal name

Local TV Ltd

Website

https://uklocal.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Local TV Ltd is a privately held UK operator of nine licensed regional broadcast television channels covering ~60% of UK households. It distributes via Freeview, Freely, YouTube, and its own websites, monetizing through local-business advertising sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Broadcast Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Local TV Stations (MPABACAB)

Keywords

• Local broadcast television
• Regional news channels
• Free-to-air television
• Local advertising airtime
• Digital terrestrial television

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Local TV generates revenue by selling advertising airtime to local businesses. Their advertising page states they have helped over 200 companies with free airtime and offer advertising across TV, digital and social media platforms. The company positions itself as connecting local businesses with local audiences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Local TV operates a network of nine free-to-air local television channels across the UK, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content distributed via Freeview, Freely, and YouTube streaming platforms. The company generates revenue by selling advertising airtime to local businesses across TV, digital, and social media channels, connecting local advertisers with geographically relevant audiences across nine UK regions.

Product overview

Local TV operates a network of nine local television channels across the UK (London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, North Wales, Teesside, and Tyne & Wear), each serving their respective communities with local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content. The company distributes content via traditional Freeview/Freely TV broadcast channels, YouTube live streaming, and the uklocal.tv website. Local TV's portfolio includes nine distinct branded channel products, a YouTube channel network, and advertising services targeting over 2 million monthly viewers. Content is organized into category sections: News, Sport, Crime, and What's On.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• London TV: Local news channel for London area, available on Freeview channel 8 and Freely channel 8
• Birmingham TV
• Bristol TV
• Cardiff TV
• Leeds TV
• Liverpool TV
• North Wales TV
• Teesside TV
• Tyne & Wear TV

Products and services

• London TV Local news channel serving London, available on Freeview channel 8, Freely channel 8, and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content for the London area.
• Birmingham TV Local news channel serving Birmingham and the West Midlands, available on Freeview channel 7, Freely channel 8, and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Bristol TV Local news channel serving Bristol, available on Freeview channel 7 and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Cardiff TV Local news channel serving Cardiff and Wales, available on Freeview channel 8 and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Leeds TV Local news channel serving Leeds and surrounding areas, available on Freeview channel 7, Freely channel 8, and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Liverpool TV Local news channel serving Liverpool and Merseyside, available on Freeview channel 7, Freely channel 8, and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• North Wales TV Local news channel serving North Wales, available on Freeview channel 8 and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Teesside TV Local news channel serving Teesside and the North East, available on Freeview channel 7 and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Tyne & Wear TV Local news channel serving Tyne & Wear and the North East, available on Freeview channel 7 and via YouTube live stream, providing hyper-local news, sport, crime, and what's-on content.
• Local Business Advertising Advertising service for local UK businesses reaching over 2 million viewers monthly, offering TV, digital, and social media advertising solutions to connect local businesses with geographically relevant local audiences across the nine-channel network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaching over 2 million viewers per month
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YouTubecoreTechnology or IntegrationLocal TV embeds content from official YouTube accounts for each of its nine regional channels. Videos are embedded using YouTube's privacy-enhanced (no-cookie) player, which only sets cookies once users choose to play a video. This enables live streaming and on-demand video distribution.
• 118 Data Resource LimitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal TV has a contract with 118 Data Resource Limited under which it provides contact details of individuals who have consented to being contacted for marketing purposes.
• Software and Service ProviderscoreTechnology or IntegrationLocal TV uses various software providers including website host, call recording system, email system, automated email marketing system, customer databases, subscription voucher services, and third party event organisers including caterers and venues.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• BBC: BBC operates extensive regional news services across England plus national and local TV channels. It is the dominant local news provider in the UK and competes with Local TV for audiences and regional relevance, funded through the license fee.
• ITV plc: ITV is the UK's largest commercial broadcaster with a national network of regional ITV news services. It competes with Local TV for regional advertising and local audiences, but operates at far greater scale and offers a much broader channel portfolio.
• Channel 4: Channel 4 is a UK public-service broadcaster with regional production and 4Studio digital channels. It is a broader incumbent that competes for advertiser demand and viewer attention, though it does not focus on local broadcast news in the same way as Local TV.

Direct peers

• London Live (ITV): London Live is a local TV channel serving London with news, sport and entertainment, run as part of ITV. It directly competes with Local TV's London TV channel in the same city for both viewing share and local advertising revenue.
• That's TV: That's TV operates a network of local free-to-air television channels across the UK, directly competing with Local TV in the same independent local TV broadcast category, serving similar regional audiences and local advertisers.

Emerging players

• TalkTV: TalkTV is a UK news and current affairs channel that competes with Local TV for share of advertising and viewer attention, primarily in the news vertical, though it does not produce hyper-local regional content.
• Notts TV: Notts TV is a local TV channel serving Nottingham, similar in concept to Local TV's regional channels as a dedicated local broadcast outlet with local news and advertising. It is a smaller single-region peer with partial overlap.
• GB News: GB News is a UK news-focused TV channel that launched in 2021 and competes for the same local/national news audiences and advertiser budgets that Local TV targets, though it focuses on national rather than regional content.
• Sheffield Live: Sheffield Live is a community TV station serving Sheffield, comparable to Local TV's regional channels as a hyper-local broadcast outlet. It is a smaller, single-region player with overlapping local content and advertising model.

Regional players

• STV: STV is the ITV-licensed broadcaster for central and northern Scotland, providing regional news and programming. Comparable to Local TV as a regional broadcaster with local advertising, but serving a different geography (Scotland).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LondonLTV/streams

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Local TV