Law firm bids for TV licence

A Birmingham law firm behind a consortium bidding to run a new TV station in the city plans to broadcast a regular legal programme.

DBS Law is part of Bham TV, which plans to launch in October if it wins approval from Ofcom for a new government-backed TV licence.

Sixteen hours of local programming per week will be available to city viewers ‘taking in everything from news to sport, cookery and the arts’, DBS said.

A weekly legal programme will come in two parts: an industry focus covering ‘who is doing what’, incorporating interviews with opinion-formers; and a consumer-focused element with a phone-in on a topical issue such as employment, immigration, property or crime. The programme will be hosted by DBS managing director Rob Bhol.

Richard O'Brien, head of public relations at DBS, is heading the consortium, which also includes media worker Devi Das, film-maker Stewart Lawley, who runs production company Eko7.com, and criminal lawyer Prejal Shah.

Shah said: ‘Our mission is to show all that is Birmingham to everyone in the city.

‘We will offer programmes with local content and news broadcasting live from our studios in the city. National TV programmers based in London ignore what goes on in the second city. Bham TV will put that right.’ Birmingham is among 20 sites earmarked for a city-based TV station. Winning applications will be announced in the autumn.