EMAP To Launch Web Portal For UK TV Production Industry

EMAP has this morning announced plans to develop a new digital media initiative targeting the UK’s television production market. In a joint venture with Channel 5 and netdecisions, EMAP will launch produxion.com in January 2000.

The website has been developed over the last six months to provide the UK’s television programming market – estimated to be worth around around £2 billion – with an online resource that can be used to source locations, sets, studios, crews, equipment and facilities. The site will also feature a news service, job section and a market to buy and sell equipment.

Produxion.com will complement EMAP’s existing publications for the TV production industry, which include Broadcast and Production Solutions. Channel 5 announced that it was developing produxion.com in October this year (see Newsline Brief) and has since invited EMAP to become involved in the project. The shareholding of the joint venture will give EMAP a 60% holding and Channel 5 and netdecisions 20% each.

Initially serving just the UK’s television industry, EMAP is hoping to develop the site to serve international markets. Revenues will be derived initially from suppliers advertising to the television market, but ecommerce opportunities could be created over time. EMAP says that, ultimately, complete programmes could be bought and sold worldwide through produxion.com.

Commenting on the project, chairman of EMAP Digital, David Grigson, says: “Produxion.com will gather and sort information on all areas of TV production, offering major benefits in terms of time savings, increased efficiencies and lower production costs… With the advent of digital and the rising demand for efficiently-produced programming, the timing of the launch of this new digital service is particularly pertinent.”

EMAP: 0171 396 2300 Channel 5: 0171 550 5555 Netdecisions: 0181 222 9400