Carlton To Close Taste Network
Carlton has announced that it is to close the Taste Network, its joint TV and internet food and drink venture with Sainsbury’s.
The multimedia venture, launched in January (see Carlton Unveils Taste Network), brought together Carlton and Sainsbury’s food internet sites with the Carlton Food Network television channel.
From 1 September Carlton will resume control of its Food Network channel and will close the taste.co.uk website. Sainsbury’s will resume sole control of its web-based food and wine assets including its tasteforlife website.
Carlton’s director of business development, Matthew Kearney, said: “Taste was an innovative project but has suffered from weaker than expected growth in advertising and e-commerce revenues in a generally difficult market for niche channels. Accordingly, we have agreed to dissolve the joint venture and return to the constituent activities to the parent companies.”
The move comes just a few weeks after Carlton Interactive took the decision to close its consumer entertainment websites Popcorn and Jamba and Granada cut 80 jobs from its health TV channel and website, Wellbeing (see Carlton Interactive To Close Websites).
Carlton: 020 7663 6363 www.carlton.com
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