After a decade on air, Evgeny Lebedev’s London Live television station is set to close next week. The station, established as part of a network of local stations by former Conservative culture minister Jeremy Hunt, will cease broadcasting at 12am on January 20th.
In an official statement, London Live expressed its gratitude to viewers: “We want to thank you for following and supporting us over the last 10 years. We have loved helping to share the stories that matter in London, making sure the voices that count are heard. In our biased opinion, London is the best city in the world, made up of brilliant people. Thank you for being a part of our journey.”
Lebedev, also the owner of The I Paper and The Standard, reportedly lost £20 million during London Live’s ten-year run. Last week, Sky News reported that Local TV Ltd, a company headed by former Trinity Mirror chief executive David Montgomery, was nearing a deal to acquire the London licence. This acquisition requires Ofcom approval. The regulator recently found That’s TV in breach of its licensing conditions for insufficient local news coverage in 14 areas.
Local TV Ltd currently operates eight channels across various UK regions, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, North Wales, Teesside, and Tyne and Wear.