7DIG.L Regulatory News (7DIG)

7 Sep 2006 07:03

UBC Media Group PLC07 September 2006 UBC Media Group plc Results from the world's first consumer trial of UBC Media's Digital Music Download 7th September 2006 - At a presentation to analysts today in Birmingham, UBCMedia Group plc (LN: UBC) will reveal the results of the trial of its digitalradio music download service. The groundbreaking technology allows real-time downloads of tracks from radiostations as the listener hears them. The consumer trial of the service startedin Birmingham at the end of July. 100 users were able to make impulse purchasesof songs from the DAB digital simulcast of Chrysalis Radio's 100.7 Heart FMservice for a period of four weeks using mobile phones incorporating DMDapplications developed by TTP. The results have revealed strong consumer interest in DAB mobile handsets with83% of triallists keen to use the handsets in the future. Triallists purchased an average of seven tracks per week, priced at £1.25, asignificantly greater quantity than UBC's original estimates. Results Highlights • 83% of people wish to use a DAB mobile in the future. • Triallists purchased an average of seven tracks per week at a price of £1.25 • 46% listened to the 100.7 Heart FM digital simulcast service for a least an hour a day. • 84% were very satisfied with ease of use and audio quality. • Approximately 1/4 of the songs downloaded were current hits, with the remainder being classic oldies. • Digital radio downloading appealed strongly to women, especially those not used to downloading music. Digital radio music downloading differs from 3G mobile music download servicesas it offers the ability to interact directly with radio broadcasts, rather thanhaving to search and download tracks proactively. UBC Media Group will announce plans for the full consumer launch of the servicelater this year. Simon Cole, Chief Executive of UBC Media said: "I'm delighted that our original assumptions are validated by this research -and particularly by the strong response to interactive digital radio services ina mobile. Although we have to be cautious about reading too much commerciallyinto a restricted trial, the appetite for impulse purchase from radio is clearlythere. As we expected, the group who found the service most attractive werethose currently untapped by online music downloading." Phil Riley, Chief Executive of Chrysalis Radio commented: "I am delighted that Heart has played an instrumental part in this trial and tosee how popular the service has been. Digital Music Downloading is clearlyhugely value enhancing for our radio stations and our listeners." Ends For more information or to arrange an interview Diane Barnes or Katie ThompsonPortland, for UBC Media Group020 7404 5344diane.barnes@portlandpr.co.uk / Katie.thompson@portlandpr.co.uk Notes to Editors About DMD UBC's technology division, Unique Interactive, has developed the DMD technologyto allow listeners to purchase tracks instantly, as they are broadcast bydigital radio stations, and to download them to mobile devices, such as digitalradio enabled mobile phones that will begin to appear later this year. DMD broadcasts encoded and encrypted music files, alongside a radio station'saudio stream. These are loaded into cache memory in the mobile device and can bebought and played immediately. In addition, the track would also besimultaneously downloaded to a web-based music library compatible with popularmusic player applications. Consumers will register to receive the service and top-up the amount of creditthey have for music downloads in the same way as they would top-up a pre-paymobile. Customers will not need to keep a separate pre-pay account for musicdownloads - purchases can come straight off their mobile pre-pay account oradded to their contract bill. They can then download tracks as they hear themwith the cost directly debited from their account. The download cost is expectedto be in the region of £1.25 per track. The DMD project has brought together a group of companies at the leading edge oftechnology - Unique Interactive, 7 Digital, Arqiva, Chrysalis, Mi-Pay, MXR,Switchdigital (London), TTP and Virgin Mobile. DMD is also supported by all fourmajor record companies, the PPL and the MCPS. About UBC Media Group plc UBC is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. The Group is the marketleader in the supply of audio content and broadcast data software to the radioindustry in the UK. In addition to the entertainment, traffic & travel andnational news services provided to commercial radio, the Group is the largestindependent producer of radio programming for the BBC and the UK's leadingsupplier of digital radio scrolling text and EPG software. The Group also hassignificant digital radio broadcasting interests including Classic Gold Digital,the nationally distributed classic hits format. It is also part of the MXRRegional Multiplex consortium. About Heart 100.7 fm 100.7 Heart fm is the Midlands' biggest radio station with 820,000 listenerseach week. Source: Rajar - Q2 2006, 100.7 Heart FM TSA Ends This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange