TV station plan boosts job hopes - graduate jobs

A new television station is likely to be established in Cardiff, boosting the job prospects of media and technical graduates in the area.

The Government has unveiled plans for setting up a number of TV stations with a view to boosting local news coverage.

The proposed Cardiff station could cater to half a million local households and may cover areas like Bridgend and Newport.

The new stations will help raise the scrutiny of devolved politics and drive up turnout at local elections by staging TV debates, according to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

"Cardiff, not alone among universities, has been following this pretty closely. It pioneered postgraduate journalism education. It's been at it for more than 40 years. We have newsrooms, we have radio and TV.

"It's a logical thought that a low-budget local television service could be supported in one way or another by that kind of expertise and these kind of facilities," said Ian Hargreaves, professor of digital economy at Cardiff University.

Copyright Press Association 2011