Launch of the Highlands First Community Television Network
A Community Television Network was launched in Inverness today (Wednesday) to deliver key public information messages directly into the heart of the community.
42 inch plasma screens have been installed at nine locations in Inverness and one in Tain which attract high volumes of the public in a waiting situation. Run on a 30-minute loop of “infomercials”, the screens broadcast local information, community safety messages, national news, weather and sport, emergency messages and crime reduction initiatives to help combat crime and reduce the fear of crime within the area and forthcoming events in the Highland 2007 programme.
Sites in Inverness are: - Inverness College, Eastgate 2 Food Court; Tesco Extra Café (Inverness Retail Park), Raigmore Hospital (restaurant), Inverness Leisure, Inverness Library, McDonalds, Inverness Airport and Inverness Service Point. In Tain, the screen in located in the health centre.
Inverness City Partnership is working in association with Community Communication Network Ltd on the project, which has funding for three years. It is the second such television network for Scotland, following CCN’s successful launch of a similar network, ‘Glasgow Matters’, earlier this year.
The benefits of the initiative include encouraging greater participation in local events or healthy lifestyles and helping inform the local community and engaging them in consultation exercises.
The network and screens in Inverness have been funded by eight public sector partners (see background info) who have been heavily involved in the project and are part of the Highland Welbeing Alliance.
Councillor Alison Magee, Convener of The Highland Council and Inverness City Partnership, said: "I am impressed by the potential that the Community Partnership Television system holds for Inverness and the wider city-region through the delivery of a lively and stimulating programme of information and advice to all age groups and all sections of our community.
“The network has the flexibility to adapt the content to target the audience profile at each location and I am pleased that the system gives us the opportunity to promote Highland 2007 – the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture.”
Councillor Magee said the community television project was one of several elements of the Inverness City Vision, which included the enhancement of the Ness Islands; public art and city lighting strategies and the city centre streetscape and traffic management programme, which will begin early in the New Year. She said: “The screen network will be a valuable tool in keeping the community abreast of these developments, informing them of what to expect and the areas affected by construction works.”
Ian Rose, Chairman of CCN, commented: “We are delighted to install our first network within the Highlands and are pleased that Inverness City Partnership have engaged on the project with us.”
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