UBC Media Group

Infobox_Company
company_name = UBC Media Group
company_
company_type = Public (lse|UBC)
foundation = 1989
location = London, England, UK
key_people = Simon Cole, Chief Executive
Blackmore, Group Editorial Director
John Quinn, Chief Operating Officer
num_employees = 90 (2008)
industry = Media
products = TV and Radio services
homepage = [http://www.ubcmedia.com www.ubcmedia.com]

UBC Media Group is an independent supplier of services to the radio industry. It provides content to BBC and commercial stations, as well as private clients. UBC also supplies software that operates digital radio data services.

taff

UBC (Unique Broadcasting Company) was founded by Simon Cole and Tim Blackmore in 1989. [cite news | title=UBC Media Group - Board of Directors | publisher=UBC Media Group | url =http://www.ubcmedia.com/board.php | accessdate = 2008-05-21 | language = ]

Cole is Chief Executive, having started out as a trainee at the BBC and developed national sponsored programmes whilst at Piccadilly Radio in Manchester.

Blackmore is the Group Editorial Director, and has a background in radio production with BBC Radio One and Capital Radio.

John Quinn is the Chief Operating Officer and has overall management responsibility for the Group’s Broadcast and Digital divisions. He joined UBC in 1996 and formerly worked in sales at Virgin Radio, Atlantic 252 and Kiss FM.

History

UBC bought the Classic Gold Digital Network which includes digital and analogue licences from GWR Group in two separate transactions in 2000 and 2002 for about £2m. In 2007, UBC effectively sold them back for £3.95m to GCap Media - the company created from the merger of GWR Group and Capital Radio Group.

In July 2006, as part of UBC's move away from owning radio stations, it sold its share in Digital News Network (DNN) for £66k.

In December 2007, UBC bought the remaining 51% stake in Oneword Radio from Channel Four Television for £1, and then closed the loss-making speech DAB radio station one month later. [cite news | title=UBC Media Group - Press Release on closure of Oneword | publisher=UBC Media Group | url=http://www.ubcmedia.com/pressview.php?ID=160 | accessdate = 2008-01-11 | language = ]

In May 2008, UBC announced its Commercial Division was being bought by the American company, GTN for £15 million. The deal is expected to complete around the end of July 2008. [cite news | title=UBC Media Group - Press Release on buyout by GNET | publisher=UBC Media Group | url=http://www.ubcmedia.com/pressview.php?ID=169 | accessdate = 2008-05-08 | language = ]

In June 2008, UBC announced it was closing down its loss-making venture [http://www.cliqradio.co.uk Cliq] , a service which allowed DAB listeners to download music to onto their mobile phones. The system was designed to be implemented on DAB-enabled mobile phones, but few manufactorers have been interested in adding DAB to their handsets.

Divisions and Services

UBC Group has two divisions:

1) Broadcast Division

Networked Programming is syndicated content delivered in audio and script format for commercial radio stations. It comes in three flavours:

*Network Drive - traffic and travel bulletins
*Sky News Radio - national and international news and sport
* [http://www.entertainmentnews.co.uk Entertainment News] - entertainment news

Used by more than 250 commercial radio stations, Networked Programming is by far UBC's most profitable arm and is funded on a “Barter syndication” business-model.

UBC also produces Commissioned programming to the BBC via its production companies:

*Unique - Radio production (based in London)
* [http://www.smoothoperations.com Smooth Operations] - TV and Radio production (based in Cambridge and Manchester)

The company also produces Digital Content in the form of podcasts for various clients, while Unique Facilities offers in-house and outside broadcast production facilities from its base near Marylebone, London.

2) Digital Division

[http://www.uniqueinteractive.com Unique Interactive] produces software including:

*ManDLS - a system which updates the text on DAB sets
*EPG - an Electronic Programme Guide for DAB for EPG-capable devices

Profitability

UBC's business model relies heavily on providing content to commercial radio based on so-called “Barter syndication”, effectively giving content to stations in exchange for selling some of their advertising airtime. But as revenues from radio advertising slumps, so has the group's profitability.

UBC’s post-tax operating loss for the year (2006-2007) was £1.26 million (compared to £193,000 in 2005-2006).

The company is focussing on reducing costs and increasing profitability by ditching its digital radio stations and concentrating on providing content. [cite news | title=UBC Media Group - Press Release on closure of Cliq | publisher=UBC Media Group | url =http://www.ubcmedia.com/pressview.php?ID=175 | accessdate = 2008-06-11 | language = ]

References

External links

* [http://www.ubcmedia.com/board.php UBC Media Group]
* [http://www.smoothoperations.com Smooth Operations]
* [http://www.uniqueinteractive.com Unique Interactive]
* [http://www.cliqradio.co.uk Cliq]
* [http://www.entertainmentnews.co.uk Entertainment News]
* [http://www.globaltrafficnetwork.com Global Traffic Network]