UTV plc
Encyclopedia
UTV Media is a broadcasting
and New Media
company based in Belfast
in Northern Ireland
. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index
. UTV Media's main operation is the ITV
franchise for Northern Ireland, and it is also the owner of UTV Radio
, which operates the UK Independent National Radio station talkSPORT
, along with 16 radio
stations in the United Kingdom
and 5 in the Republic of Ireland
. UTV is available terrestrially to 98% of Northern Ireland's population, and is now available, through a number of platforms as well as via terrestrial overspill, to 70% of the Republic of Ireland's.
accounted for 54%, television
37% and 9% from New Media
. 48% of operating profits were earned in the radio side of the business, with 47% derived from television and 5% from new media.
franchises as STV. The latter proposal would have given SMG shareholders 52% of the merged company. However on 20 September 2006, UTV abandoned the plans after SMG rejected the offer as unacceptable..
On 10 January 2007 however, SMG and UTV media groups announced that they had agreed the details of their merger, including a revised share split between the two. UTV would comprise 54% of the new group and SMG would comprise the remaining 46%. The details were expected to be finalised before the end of January, but things then were put on hold. On 28 February 2007, SMG finally called off the merger..
on 19 September 2007 http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200709191302131153E - UTV shareholders exchanged their shares for stock in a new holding company - UTV Media plc - at the rate of 1:1 . The existing UTV plc became a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media following the share swap, and will become the operating company of the ITV franchise, UTV
. UTV plc's interests in most of its major subsidiaries, such as UTV Radio
and UTV Internet
, were transferred to UTV Media from the effective date of the share swap. The new structure came into effect on 15 October 2007 http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200710151201257084F.
UTV
UTV is one of the two remaining stand-alone ITV
contractors left, along with Channel Television
, with the others having grouped into ITV plc
(which owns eleven franchises) and STV Group plc (which owns two). UTV is also widely viewed in the Republic of Ireland where it has a greater number of potential viewers.
UTV Radio
UTV has diversified considerably from its ITV franchise and radio now constitutes the largest proportion of turnover and profit. It started by purchasing a number of Radio Stations in the Republic of Ireland
and acquiring stakes in stations in Great Britain. In 2005 the company acquired The Wireless Group plc, with ownership of 16 radio stations and broadcasting facilities, which it rebranded, along with its radio stations in Ireland as UTV Radio. In 2005 UTV also launched its first Radio Station in Northern Ireland, U105
which broadcasts to the Belfast area.
u.tv
The URL u.tv is the address of the main website of UTV the Northern Irish ITV franchise holder. The website offers News, Sport and Entertainment news and is also home to the companies ISP services.
UTV Internet
UTV own the internet service provider UTV Internet, through which they provide broadband and dial-up internet packages. UTV operates this service in both Northern Ireland, and the Republic. Although they do not market themselves to internet subscribers outside the island of Ireland, services are also available in Great Britain
. The Northern Ireland
section of their broadband website is now entitled Northern Ireland and rest of UK.
as well as the Republic of Ireland
.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
and New Media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
company based in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index
FTSE SmallCap Index
The FTSE SmallCap Index is an index of small market capitalization companies consisting of the 351st to the 619th largest listed companies on the London Stock Exchange main market...
. UTV Media's main operation is the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
franchise for Northern Ireland, and it is also the owner of UTV Radio
UTV Radio
UTV Radio is a UK media company, and owner of several radio stations in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is a growing branch of UTV Media....
, which operates the UK Independent National Radio station talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
, along with 16 radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
stations in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and 5 in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. UTV is available terrestrially to 98% of Northern Ireland's population, and is now available, through a number of platforms as well as via terrestrial overspill, to 70% of the Republic of Ireland's.
Expansion
UTV Media was able to expand between 2004 and 2006, largely due to its investment in and purchase of radio stations. It has had a large increase in business turnover, which was up 46% on 2004; pre-tax profits rose by 12%, and employment rose by 500 people to more than double the figure in 2004. In 2006, total sales were £113.6m of which UTV RadioUTV Radio
UTV Radio is a UK media company, and owner of several radio stations in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is a growing branch of UTV Media....
accounted for 54%, television
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
37% and 9% from New Media
UTV Internet
UTV Internet is part of UTV Media plc, the owners of the ITV franchise in Northern Ireland. Internet services are available in both Northern and the Republic of Ireland...
. 48% of operating profits were earned in the radio side of the business, with 47% derived from television and 5% from new media.
Mergers
In August and September 2006, UTV Media made two merger proposals to the STV Group plc, which operates the northern and central Scottish ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
franchises as STV. The latter proposal would have given SMG shareholders 52% of the merged company. However on 20 September 2006, UTV abandoned the plans after SMG rejected the offer as unacceptable..
On 10 January 2007 however, SMG and UTV media groups announced that they had agreed the details of their merger, including a revised share split between the two. UTV would comprise 54% of the new group and SMG would comprise the remaining 46%. The details were expected to be finalised before the end of January, but things then were put on hold. On 28 February 2007, SMG finally called off the merger..
Corporate re-organisation
Historically, the company was called Ulster Television plc, but this was changed to UTV plc in June 2006 following shareholder approval. On 16 August 2007 a further change was proposed with the reorganisation of the group into a holding company and a number of operating subsidiaries. As part of this change - which was approved by an extraordinary general meetingExtraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting, commonly abbreviated as EGM, is a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders of a company, or employees of an official body, which occurs at an irregular time. The term is usually used where the group would ordinarily hold an annual general meeting , but...
on 19 September 2007 http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200709191302131153E - UTV shareholders exchanged their shares for stock in a new holding company - UTV Media plc - at the rate of 1:1 . The existing UTV plc became a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media following the share swap, and will become the operating company of the ITV franchise, UTV
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
. UTV plc's interests in most of its major subsidiaries, such as UTV Radio
UTV Radio
UTV Radio is a UK media company, and owner of several radio stations in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is a growing branch of UTV Media....
and UTV Internet
UTV Internet
UTV Internet is part of UTV Media plc, the owners of the ITV franchise in Northern Ireland. Internet services are available in both Northern and the Republic of Ireland...
, were transferred to UTV Media from the effective date of the share swap. The new structure came into effect on 15 October 2007 http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200710151201257084F.
UTVUTVUTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
UTV is one of the two remaining stand-alone ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
contractors left, along with Channel Television
Channel Television
Channel Television is a British television station which has served as an Independent Television contractor to the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey...
, with the others having grouped into ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
(which owns eleven franchises) and STV Group plc (which owns two). UTV is also widely viewed in the Republic of Ireland where it has a greater number of potential viewers.
UTV RadioUTV RadioUTV Radio is a UK media company, and owner of several radio stations in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is a growing branch of UTV Media....
UTV has diversified considerably from its ITV franchise and radio now constitutes the largest proportion of turnover and profit. It started by purchasing a number of Radio Stations in the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and acquiring stakes in stations in Great Britain. In 2005 the company acquired The Wireless Group plc, with ownership of 16 radio stations and broadcasting facilities, which it rebranded, along with its radio stations in Ireland as UTV Radio. In 2005 UTV also launched its first Radio Station in Northern Ireland, U105
U105
U105 is a Belfast based radio station, providing a mix of music and speech as well as hourly news bulletins. It is owned by UTV Radio and was launched at 6am on Monday 14 November 2005....
which broadcasts to the Belfast area.
u.tvU.tvThe URL u.tv is the address of the main website of UTV the Northern Irish ITV franchise holder. The website offers News, Sport and Entertainment news and is also home to the companies ISP services.-UTV Internet:Main article : UTV Internet...
The URL u.tv is the address of the main website of UTV the Northern Irish ITV franchise holder. The website offers News, Sport and Entertainment news and is also home to the companies ISP services.UTV InternetUTV InternetUTV Internet is part of UTV Media plc, the owners of the ITV franchise in Northern Ireland. Internet services are available in both Northern and the Republic of Ireland...
UTV own the internet service provider UTV Internet, through which they provide broadband and dial-up internet packages. UTV operates this service in both Northern Ireland, and the Republic. Although they do not market themselves to internet subscribers outside the island of Ireland, services are also available in Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
section of their broadband website is now entitled Northern Ireland and rest of UK.
UTV Talk
In August 2004 the company moved into the telephone market, offering free off-peak calls with a new service, UTV Talk. The service is available to customers in Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
as well as the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.