ITV Local

Infobox Website
name = ITV Local
favicon =



caption =
url = www.itvlocal.com
commercial = Yes
type = News
registration = No
owner = ITV plc
author = ITV plc
launch date = Test phase (2005-06)
current status = Rolled out (2007)
revenue =

ITV Local is a broadband service provided by ITV plc and controlled in Birmingham at ITV Central,the contractor and provider of ITV in 11 of the 15 Television Regions. First established in 2005, the website provides local news, weather and features on demand, 24 hours a day.

The project began with two trial services in Brighton and Hastings. Due to the success of this, the service was expanded to cover the whole of the ITV Meridian and later, ITV Thames Valley regions.

In March 2007, the ITV London and ITV Central regions were added, in June 2007 ITV Granada and ITV Wales regions were added with full regional services.

In August 2007, ITV Yorkshire was soft-launched earlier than originally planned. It was fully launched later in the month. ITV Tyne Tees and ITV Border launched later in the month.

In September 2007, ITV Anglia was added to the service. The final two areas, ITV West [ [http://www.itvlocal.com/west ITV Local West website] ] and ITV Westcountry [ [http://www.itvlocal.com/westcountry ITV Local Westcountry website] ] , went live in October 2007.

Features

ITV Local includes the following:

"All active regions:"
* Local jobs, classified adverts and dating
* All versions of the regional news bulletins
* Extended news features and updates through the day
* Entertainment features, extended interviews and an entertainments listings service
* Five-day forecasts for all regions
* Many regional programmes, such as "Country Ways" and current affairs series "Focus" as shown on Meridian and "Metroland" in London
* Short films sent in by viewers
* Live streaming cameras from scenic locations and special events
* Short features from local professional filmmakers

Each region's site also features special channels unique to that area, and short-duration special events. ITV Local has hosted special features for British University Sports Association, Cowes Week, the Notting Hill Carnival, Thames Festival, Latitude Festival and the British International Motor Show.

Additional UGC services

ITV Local also offers a range of UGC-based multi-regional services under the brand, including a iReport-like video upload and social networking site known as YourNews [ [http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/ ITV Local VideoFactory] ] and a site based around local sports events [ [http://www.itvlocalgrassroots.com ITV Local GrassRoots] ] . A new photo-sharing and photo-mapping site is planned for mid-August.

The future of ITV

Proposed changes to the regional structure and output of ITV [ [http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,2167562,00.html Media Guardian - Unions slam ITV regional cuts] ] will also affect ITV Local, which is heavily dependent on ITV regional content.

References

External links

* [http://www.itvlocal.com itvlocal.com]
* [http://www.itvlocal.com/west ITV Local West] News and more for the West of England
* [http://www.itvlocal.com/westcountry ITV Local Westcountry] News and more for Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset
* [http://www.itvlocal.com/yorkshire ITV Local Yorkshire]
* [http://www.itvlocal.com/anglia/allangles/ ITV Local Anglia's entertainment show All Angles]