Bermuda is to get a new television service in the autumn when local production company Fresh Creations takes over the lease of Government's Channel Three for a year.

The company, owned by Bermudian Elmore Warren, will broadcast around six hours a day and will be allowed to lease the channel for free for the first year.

Mr. Warren was reluctant to disclose details about the content of his station, although a minimum of 35 percent of the output will be local.

Mr. Warren said yesterday the station will focus on local entertainment information, and will also include some news.

DeFontes Television (VSB) expressed disappointment because Fresh Creations will eat into its advertising revenue, but Telecommunications and E-Commerce Minister Renee Webb said the new channel will provide more choice and increase Bermudian content.

Both VSB and Bermuda Broadcasting (BBC) had objected to the new channel because they did not want the competition, said Ms Webb, but Government had decided Fresh Creations would bring more variety to television.

After the first year, Fresh Creations will be required to pay $14,365 each year for a class one broadcasting licence - the same sum paid by VSB and ZBM.

Fresh Creations, which has produced the ‘Al and Chrif' show and ‘Cooking with Friends', was started in 1994 and will have a staff of seven people.

Around ten minutes of community messages will continue to be broadcast on channel three, said Ms Webb.

“With this venture, Fresh Productions will be able to provide an innovative programming schedule that I am sure all of Bermuda will enjoy,” said Ms Webb.

“There is no doubt that the increased Bermudian content can only make Bermudians more aware and proud of our unique culture, heritage and history.

“Using CableVision as a means of providing this programming, Bermudians will have the benefit of receiving additional local content on cable as well as the provision of community announcements up to a total of ten minutes per day.”

Referring to the reaction of VSB and ZBM to the new channel, Ms Webb said: “Both are aware of the fact that it is competition for them.

“The best thing would be to listen to the news reports as a consequence of this. The reaction we've had in the Ministry has been cordial.

“We've been in discussions for a while, so it is not something new. (Their objection was to) the possibility of having another competitor.

“They also wanted to know would they (Fresh Creations) come under the Broadcasting Commission, would they pay the licence fee at the end of the year, and would Government have the possibility of taking back the channel.”

Ms Webb agreed the channel could be used to broadcast Press conferences in full or major speeches from the Premier, but it would be covered by the Broadcasting Commission.

Mr. Warren said: “We'll be extending a lot of the ‘infotainment' we've been producing over the years of what's going on around Bermuda.

“Without revealing too much about the programming, it will be in places that we haven't been before.”

He said the channel would be financed in part through advertising, but not the traditional way Bermuda's other two stations had earned revenue. His company had a track recording of striking deals with overseas companies, he added.

Mr. Warren said neither VSB nor ZBM had been interested in fostering local productions. The companies had also failed to reinvest in their product, he said.

VSB owner Kenny DeFontes said yesterday: “Of course I am disappointed because it will take away revenue, but we have to be realistic and view it as another competitor.

“For the first year they will have no fees to pay, but I really don't know how it is going to affect us. In theory, it will take some revenue away from the electronic media, there is no question about that, but we will just have to see how it goes.

“I think there are too many stations now, and you will have to be lean and mean to survive. I think they will survive because they don't have the overheads that the regular broadcast stations have.”

BBC chief executive Rick Richardson could not be contacted for comment yesterday.