The UK Department for Education has pulled the plug on Teachers TV. Ten Alps, which co-owns the site with ITN, told the London stock exchange that the government is cancelling the £10 million (E11.5m) annual contract from April 2011 as part of the cuts.

Ten Alps CEO Alex Connock, said: “The news came out of the blue, the company had no inkling of the government’s thinking, and was only informed by letter last night.” The contract was due to run until 2013, but the government has invoked a six-month break clause.

Connock said he hoped the website would survive. The service, which began as a digital TV channel with a budget in excess of £20 million, moved to broadband last September, and currently has 400,000 registered users. Connock said the site had great potential as a subscription business and could also be adapted for international students and university-level training. It already carries some advertising, but sponsorship had been ruled out under the current contract.

Ten Alps has a 75 per cent share in the company, with ITN holding 25 per cent.

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