Editing Restricted Service Licence (section)

==Television==
{{update|date=May 2009}}
RSLs were also issued to television stations and other organisations which wished to cover a very small area. These licences (also known as '''Restricted Television Service Licences''' or '''RTS licences''') restrict power, and hence range, but not operating hours. These licences are valid for four years, and must be competed for on renewal.

The first local TV station to go on the air in the UK with an analogue RSL licence was TV12 on the Isle of Wight. It commenced broadcasting in October 1998 from the main ITV/BBC transmitter at Rowridge. TV12's studios were initially at the Medina Centre in Newport – later moving to retail premises in the town centre and finally a factory unit on the outskirts of the town. Initially a staff of more than 25 made hundreds of hours of local programmes – most of which were filmed on location in and around the island.

Later local TV licences were awarded for stations in Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Carlisle, Coleraine, Derry, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fawley, Glasgow, Hertford, Lanarkshire, Leicester, Limavady, Manchester, Northampton, Norwich, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Swansea, Taunton, Teesside, Ware, Wellington, and York.

In light of the national switch-over from analogue to digital TV the television regulator, Ofcom, extended several analogue Local TV licences until local digital switchover became due in each respective area. This process was complete in October 2012. Meanwhile, in February 2009 bids were invited for auctions for the first local digital multiplex licences to be offered in the UK – the first two of which were awarded shortly thereafter. However the awarding of additional licences was halted in favour of [[local television in the United Kingdom|a network of local broadcasters]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-05-10 |title=Local TV: Bidding begins for 21 new licenses |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18021144 |access-date=2025-04-24 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Channels licensed under RTSs===
*[[C9TV]] – Coleraine,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coleraine {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/537.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> Derry,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Derry {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/295.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> Limavady<ref>{{Cite web |title=Limavady {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/478.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting in 2008
*[[Midlands Asian Television|MATV]] – Leicester<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leicester {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/584.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting on analogue terrestrial television in 2009
*[[NvTv]] – Belfast<ref>{{Cite web |title=Belfast {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/746.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting on 23 October 2012, granted a local digital TV licence<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 10, 2012 |title=Ofcom awards further local TV licences |url=http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/10/10/ofcom-awards-further-local-tv-licences/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430144107/http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/10/10/ofcom-awards-further-local-tv-licences/ |archive-date=2013-04-30 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=media.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref>
*[[Six TV]] Oxford – Oxford<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIX TV (Oxford) {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/222.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting in April 2009
*[[Six TV]] Portsmouth – Portsmouth<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIX TV (Portsmouth) {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/458.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – never launched
*[[Six TV]] Reading – Reading<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIX TV (Reading) {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/892.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – never launched
*[[Six TV]] Southampton – Fawley,<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIX TV (Fawley) {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/717.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> Southampton<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIX TV (Southampton) {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/553.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting in April 2009
*TV Norwich – Norwich<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norwich {{!}} Ofcom {{!}} Digital TV Channels |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/556.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref>

Note that not all of these services may currently be broadcasting. Some of these stations also broadcast on other platforms such as cable and satellite.

====Former channels licensed under RTSs====
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|TV Local Bristol]] – Bristol – ceased broadcasting in 2002
*[[Capital TV (Cardiff)|Capital TV]] – Cardiff<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licence Details for Cardiff LTS |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/743.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting in 2009
*Carlisle TV – Carlisle<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licence Details for Carlisle LTS |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/712.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – trialled but never launched
*[[Channel M]] – Manchester<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licence Details for  ADODB. |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/1099.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting on analogue terrestrial television on 2 December 2009, granted a local digital multiplex licence
*Channel Six Dundee – Dundee – ceased broadcasting in 2002
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|Edinburgh Television]] – Edinburgh – ceased broadcasting in 2003
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|Herts TV]] – Hertford and Ware – ceased broadcasting in 2002
*[[Lanarkshire TV]] – Lanarkshire<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licence Details for Lanarkshire LTS |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/781.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting in 2001
*[[Northants TV]] – Northampton – ceased broadcasting in 2004
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|Portsmouth TV]] – Portsmouth – ceased broadcasting on 19 March 2004
*[[Solent TV]] – Isle of Wight<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licence Details for Isle of Wight LTS |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/705.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting on 24 May 2007
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|Southampton TV]] – Southampton – ceased broadcasting on 19 March 2004
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|Taunton TV]] – Taunton and Wellington<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uncorrected Evidence 16 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmcumeds/memo/futureformedia/uc1602.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref> – ceased broadcasting in 2002
*Teesside – Teesside<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licence Details for Teesside LTS |url=https://static.ofcom.org.uk:443/static/tvlicensing/rtsl/950.htm |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=static.ofcom.org.uk}}</ref> – never launched
*[[Thistle TV]] – Lanarkshire – ceased broadcasting on 17 May 2005
*[[List of former TV channels in the United Kingdom#Analogue|TV12]] – Isle of Wight – ceased broadcasting in 2002