Norwich could be one of the first cities in the UK to have a local TV service.It is among 65 locations selected by the government for the licensing of local television broadcasting that would be required to show a minimum of an hour of news a day. And its programmes would be available to about 155,000 households, said culture secretary Jeremy Hunt today.The local TV service nearest to that in Norwich will be in Cambridge. Ipswich is not on the government's list, which has been determined by transmitter issues.The local TV stations will operate on an average annual budget of about �500,000 - �10,000 a week - and will operate with six full-time staff plus journalists and camera crews.They will be expected to be commercially viable, but will collectively receive �40m from the BBC licence fee settlement to help them get started. 'What they do with the rest of the time (on top of the minimum news content) is up to them', said Mr Hunt.Licences will be awarded on the basis of 'a beauty contest' rather than a financial auction, and Mr Hunt claimed that his announcement would lead to 'the biggest change in the broadcasting landscape for a couple of decades'.The first licences will be awarded next year, with broadcasting starting from the third quarter of 2013.

Norwich could be of the first cities in the UK to have a local TV service.

It is one of 65 locations selected by the government for the licensing of local television broadcasting that would be required to show a minimum of an hour of news a day. And its programmes would be available to about 155,000 households, said culture secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday.

The local TV service nearest to that in Norwich will be in Cambridge. Ipswich is not on the government's list, which has been determined by transmitter issues.

The local TV stations will operate on an average annual budget of about �500,000 - �10,000 a week - and will operate with six full-time staff plus journalists and camera crews.

They will be expected to be commercially viable, but will collectively receive �40m from the BBC licence fee settlement to help them get started. 'What they do with the rest of the time (on top of the minimum news content) is up to them', said Mr Hunt.

Licences will be awarded on the basis of 'a beauty contest' rather than a financial auction, and Mr Hunt claimed that his announcement would lead to 'the biggest change in the broadcasting landscape for a couple of decades'.

The first licences will be awarded next year, with broadcasting starting from the third quarter of 2013.