Kent's council-run internet TV channel to close

A council internet TV service is to be closed as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

Kent TV, run by Kent County Council, will be scrapped in March.

The service, currently run by Bob Geldof's company, Ten Alps, was launched in 2007, at a cost of nearly £1.5m.

The closure of the channel, which costs £600,000 a year to run, is part of a multi-million pound cost-cutting exercise, the council said.

'Difficult times'

Council leader Paul Carter said: "Kent TV has proved itself to be a brave and bold innovation and we have learned a great deal from it.

"However, we are living in different and difficult economic times compared with when the pilot was launched in September 2007.

"In difficult times our spending has to be prioritised. We have therefore decided that Kent TV will not continue when the pilot period ends in March 2010."

Mr Carter said the service had particularly appealed to younger residents, through song-writing and animation competitions. The channel has also been broadcasting its own soap opera about young people's health issues, called Hollywould.

Support services councillor Roger Gough said: "This is not a decision that we have taken lightly.

"We intend to continue to develop digital media to connect with the people of Kent."