The Isle of Man could get its own television station under proposals announced today.

That’s Media Group’s announcement was made during this week’s Celtic Media Festival at a panel about the island’s digital media broadcast Industry.

Kent Walwin, owner and director of That’s Media Group, and chief executive Daniel Cass have visited the island on many occasions in the last few months, meeting with potential ’stakeholders’.

Daniel Cass said: ’We believe there is a calculable enthusiasm for our proposal for a new television channel playing a critical role in the island’s "national conversation".

’As the company controlling the most licences in the UK’s local television network (12 licences) we believe that we are uniquely placed to support, encourage and ultimately develop this initiative.’

How the television station would be broadcast, whether through terrestrial transmitters, satellite or on the internet - or a combination - has not been finalised.

In the UK local stations are broadcast as part of the Freeview system.

Isle of Media introduced That’s Media Group to the Isle of Man in 2016 and since then That’s Media Group, along with the assistance of Isle of Media, have created a plan to not only set up a Manx channel, but to also relocate its headquarters to the Isle of Man.

Mr Walwin said: ’We bring our own capital investment to the Isle of Man and hope to create significant employment in the island’s media industry. With the Isle of Man having its own jurisdiction and strong identity, culture, and heritage; the island is a natural choice to have its own TV channel.’

Pressed on how many staff the station would employ, Mr Walwin said five.

But many more would be employed in other areas related to the television sector.

Stuart Semark, chief executive of Isle of Media, said: ’We have come a long way to find a commercially-valid approach and an investor to fill the strategic gap of a national television Station for the Isle of Man.’

Dr Richard Arning, director of SES Satellite Leasing and chairman of Isle of Media, said: ’This is an exciting opportunity for the island not just business growth wise but also socially, in engaging closer with the the various communities. As industry we are delighted to support the growth of the island’s digital media sector and a national television station can be one of cornerstones.’

What is Isle of Man Media?

Isle of Media Limited is a public, private partnership launched to market the island’s media cluster and help media ventures locating in the Isle of Man discover more about grants, funds and investments available both privately and through the Isle of Man Government.

That’s Media Group Limited and That’s TV Limited combine to be the largest English regional local TV network.

Currently the group is licensed through Ofcom for 12 UK Local TV franchises. That’s TV is already broadcasting on five channels on Freeview Channel 7 into Lancashire, Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge and into the Solent area. The further seven stations are scheduled to launch in 2017.