UTV Set To Sell Talk107 Radio Station

Ulster Television, the Belfast-based media group, is set to sell its Edinburgh radio station talk107.

UTV said it wants to sell off the station to focus on its national station talkSPORT and its music radio services, according to reports.

Scott Taunton, UTV Radio GB’s chief executive, said: “The sale of talk107 makes both strategic and commercial sense for UTV Radio.”

He added: “It will allow us to focus resources on our flagship national station talkSPORT and our ILR music stations, which are based predominantly in the north-west of England and south Wales.”

According to UTV, talk107, which was launched in February 2006, has recently moved away from its previous confrontational approach to a more informed and entertainment-based debating style.

Ofcom received 15 applications for the original Edinburgh FM licence in 2004, which was secured by Kelvin MacKenzie’s Wireless Group before it became a part of UTV.

As a result, Taunton said he “would expect to attract considerable interest from a number of potential buyers.”

In the recent RAJAR release, talkSPORT reported an average of 2.3 million listeners per week (see Year on Year Rise In Reach For Radio 2).

UTV: 02890 328122 www.utv.co.uk