Background Information
Country Channel TV is a dedicated service for local communities in the country; the unifying factor is an interest in country matters. The Channel previewed from May 1 2006 and went live on June 9 2006.
Dealing with subjects that are important to country people, the Country Channel provides targeted information that is relevant to people who live, work in or play in, the countryside.
The Country Channel appeals to vertical and horizontal groups such as:
++ Horizontal regional groups - The New Forest, The Peak District, The Dales, The Fens - and beyond the UK. (We are planning European and Worldwide coverage)
++ Vertical groups with a shared interest such as horse riders, field and country pursuits, clubs and societies, wildlife and twitchers, conservationists, ramblers, walkers, anglers, farmers and small holders (to name but a few).
Personnel
The Country Channel Management Team
Paul Aitken - Chairman
Paul is also Managing Director of APL (Aitken Productions Ltd) a TV production company founded in 1998 by Paul and his wife Alison.
The Country Channel is Paul's creation and is the result of applying years of experience and understanding to the convergence of video and computing. Paul is enormously excited at the dawning of web based TV, so much so that the first live web cast was made, somewhat ahead of its time, from Chipping Norton for four hours in 1998 on 28k and 56k streams.
Paul's drive and vision has pulled together an impressive management and investment team.
Alison Aitken - Company Secretary
Director and Company Secretary of Aitken Productions Ltd. Alison's role is producer and production manager and she has responsibility for planning, scheduling and day to day running of the company.
Rob Bonnet - Director
BBC Sports Presenter, producer and writer, currently broadcasting on BBC World. Rob has a strong interest in country matters and is an enthusiastic champion of the Country Channel.
Simon Brydon - Director
Director and special consultant to the Country Channel, Simon is Managing Director of successful web based TV Channel Cycling TV, which has been running for two years.
Bill Turnbull - Director
BBC presenter and broadcaster.
Marita Crawley - Director
David Fletcher - Director
Clive Hetherington - Sales and Marketing Consultant
Other notable Country Channel shareholders include:
Wendy Nelson - Heart of the Country Presenter
Lucinda Green - Former Olympic Medallist Show Jumper
Graeme Garden - Broadcaster and writer
Funding
At present, the Country Channel is funded by seed investors, who have invested risk capital in order to get the channel up and running, we are currently looking for other seed investors and a sympathetic venture capitalist to develop the concept further.