7DIG.L Regulatory News (7DIG)

27 Jan 2005 07:01

UBC Media Group PLC26 January 2005 27 January 2005 UBC reports latest listening figures UBC Media Group plc (UBC), the digital radio broadcaster and programme producer,is pleased to report satisfactory progress for its national digital services inthe latest RAJAR audience figures published today. UBC's network of Classic Gold Digital radio stations ("CGDL") broadcasts on bothanalogue and digital. Its digital transmission area is considerably larger andtherefore brings the prospect of growth as digital penetration increases. Inthe latest RAJAR report (Q4, 2004), CGDL has held its market share in theanalogue transmission area at 2.4% with listening hours of 6.71 million (Q32004, 6.78 million). However, including the broader digital listening areas, CGDL now has totalnational listening hours of 8.27 million (Q3 2004, 8.46 million). CGDL earnsrevenue on the basis of its 'listened hours', as measured by RAJAR, from GWR plcwho retain the right to sell advertising on the stations. Oneword, which operates the national digital-only speech licence, has also seenincreases in its reach and listening hours. In the last twelve months, thestation has increased its weekly reach by 75% to 112,000 (Q4, 2003 64,000) andlistening hours have risen by 38% to 280,000 (Q4, 2003 203,000). On 27thAugust 2004 Channel Four Television and UBC announced that they were indiscussions about the television company becoming a shareholder in Oneword. UBCexpects to announce the results of these discussions very shortly. Commenting on the RAJAR figures, Simon Cole, CEO of UBC said: "Nearly 19% of Classic Gold's listening hours are now on digital platforms. Withmore than 1.2 million digital radios sold in the UK at the end of 2004 and anincreasing number of people finding digital audio services via Sky and Freeview,I feel very confident about the future of our digital radio stations." For further information, please contact: Simon Cole, CEO, UBC Media Group plc Tel: 020 7453 1600Tim Allan, Portland Tel: 020 7404 5344 Notes to Editors About UBC Media Group UBC Media Group plc is a UK public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange'sAIM market. The Group is a market leader in the supply of content to the radio,Internet and digital television industries in the UK. In addition to theentertainment and traffic and travel news services provided to commercial radio,the Group is the largest independent producer of radio programming for the BBC. About Classic Gold Digital Limited (CGDL) In September 2000 UBC Media Group acquired the Classic Gold digital radio and AMformat, including all the associated intellectual property rights and certainbroadcast licences, from GWR Group plc. The purchase was made through a newlyformed company, Classic Gold Digital Limited, which is owned 80% by UBC MediaGroup and 20% by GWR Group plc. The Classic Gold format, one of the mostsuccessful 'gold' radio formats in the UK, has been developed by GWR over thelast ten years to appeal primarily to an audience aged between 30 and 45 and isbroadcast on the entire GWR AM network. Classic Gold Digital broadcasts on 18 AM stations, plus a network of digitalmultiplexes, which gives the format a potential audience of 29 million people.GWR Group is responsible for advertising sales and Classic Gold Digital receivesa payment for its programming from GWR, directly related to the number oflistening hours as measured by RAJAR. About Oneword Radio Oneword Radio broadcasts a quality speech service on the national multiplex,Digital One and was the Sony Radio digital station of the year for 2003. On 27thAugust 2004 UBC announced a development agreement with Channel 4 Television toexplore transmission and programming issues. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange