Interactive TV Hits Knowsley!

On July 4th Interactive TV hit Knowsley - a UK first. Knowsley, already a leader in digital communication has scored another first.

From July 4th, an interactive community television service has been established. During the six-month test stage residents will be offered two separate services.

Preliminary trials will last approximately one year and will operate on a limited scale both in terms of material and the people who will be able to receive the service. Initially Knowsley’s Community Information Programme will be available in the home via their televisions, making it possible for council tenants to call up repairs to their properties and to access information about jobs and council services.

At the same time Knowsley Television is providing an interactive scheduled ‘television service’ with video-on-demand recordings of local news and feature programmes, which will be available to 160 public access points on the Community Information Network and, with the assistance and collaboration of Telewest Communications, to a sample of up to 200 home PC’s.

From early 2001 it is intended to migrate the whole service to television from which it is hoped to run the service in trial form for up to a year.

The provision of the Community Information Programme on cable television, designed by Connect, will enable customers to contact the council from their sitting rooms for housing repairs, job opportunities and customer advice together with history and Knowsley walks information. It is one step to becoming a 24-hour Council and provides one more channel by which customers can contact the Council.

Steve Gallagher, Knowsley’s Chief Executive, commented, “this is an exciting and innovative development in an ever-developing and important area. IT certainly is the future and we are travelling down this road, leading the way for others to follow. The potential for education, health, employment and local democracy is second to none. We can see considerable commercial opportunities as the service develops - it really is more than just a TV channel.”

Patricia Hewitt, Minister at the DTI for E-Commerce and Small Businesses commented, “This is an exciting project that will help transform community life and services in Knowsley. I want to congratulate all the people who have delivered this UK-wide first.”

Knowsley’s pioneering work in IT has gained national and international recognition, winning major awards and accolades. David Fellows, Knowsley’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance, is a driving force on Knowsley’s Internet and Multimedia developments. He commented, “We have had to work very hard indeed to bring this project to live trials. Having got this far I’m sure it will be a great success. It will be a beacon for the rest of the UK and Europe and perhaps further afield.”