Hyper-local Democracy Gets Boost From Pioneering Internet TV Station

April 24, 2012 - PRLog -- For the first time anywhere in the UK prospective council candidates fighting for a seat in the forthcoming local election have been able to state their case in front of television cameras.

Until now party political broadcasts have usually been reserved for national politicians on mainstream television. Now hyper-local internet TV has widened the opportunity for every would-be politician to be seen and heard in the homes of voters and on their mobile devices.

Helensburgh.TV, a pioneering hyper-local community television channel, has given every local candidate standing for a seat on Argyll and Bute Council the opportunity to broadcast to the electorate.
In Helensburgh and Lomond there are 17 politicians battling it out for just 10 seats across three wards.

The channel which has almost 6,000 subscribers and serves a core community of a little more than 9,000 households is the first internet television broadcaster in the UK to encourage local candidates to make their own political broadcasts for a council election.

“We offered every candidate up to three minutes to put their message across as to why residents should vote for them,” said a spokesman for the URTV network.

“Out of 17 prospective councillors just two declined our invitation and one was prevented from filming because of a health problem, but he aims to go in front of the cameras in the next few days.

“For many of the candidates it was the first time they had appeared on any screen and they jumped at the chance to be seen and heard by a much bigger audience than any local community hall can accommodate. Many of them have been positing leaflets through doors and canvassing on the streets but local internet tv has opened up an entirely new avenue for them to reach the voters.”

Helensburgh.tv is the first of a network of online URTV stations working with communities across the country to provide a daily diet of news, features and information at a level most traditional broadcasters cannot compete with.

Launched in January 2011, in the birthplace of television pioneer John Logie Baird, Helensburgh.TV has carved out a niche for itself supporting local retailers, promoting community events and providing daily local news to a growing audience.

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For more information on URTV please visit www.helensburgh.tv  or contact URTV on 0800 098 8194.