Achi news desk-
News UK will launch a new channel, talkTV, in early 2022.
The channel will be streamed live and will be widely available on all platforms including linear TV and OTT with content available across social media as well as News UK’s own extensive list of websites and apps. Everyone in the UK will be able to access the channel, live or on demand, either on their TV or on any personal device.
talkTV will offer a mix of programs from News UK’s stable of homegrown brands. There will be hourly accurate news bulletins, sports and entertainment shows as well as current affairs, debate, opinion and documentary programmes.
New format shows will be delivered using talent from our own brands – talkRADIO, talkSPORT, Virgin Radio, Times Radio, The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times.
News UK will hire outstanding new talent to join a schedule of prime-time programs for the evenings.
Rebekah Brooks, Chief Executive of News UK, said:
“We are committed to providing choice for TV and streaming viewers and bringing the best of our journalism to the screen. Taking advantage of modern technology, we can produce high quality shows at a low cost.”
Scott Taunton, CEO of News UK Broadcasting, said:
“talkTV will provide a rich mix of entertaining and informative shows that no other service provides.
“News UK brands already engage with millions of people through print, digital and audio and we use those brands to create video programmes. We have some of the biggest names in the media on our radio stations and in our newspapers, as well as some of the most articulate thought leaders who reflect many different points of view. Some of the most talented people in news, sports and entertainment journalism will participate as contributors or create original content for talkTV.”
News UK has invested in new television studios at its headquarters in the News Building in London Bridge. Scott Taunton recently expanded his remit beyond radio and audio and was appointed CEO of News UK Broadcasting and is leading the launch of talkTV.
The new TV studios already provide professional capacity that visualizes our brands in different ways and provide live news bulletins for talkRADIO from our studios in London Bridge.
talkRADIO TV has soft launched on connected TV platforms and is streamed live through the talkRADIO TV app. It is available on Samsung TV Plus, Apple TV, Rakuten, Samsung TV Plus, Roku, YouTube and on Amazon Fire TV. There is a free talkRADIO TV app and live stream on talkRADIO.tv. Its list of presenters includes Julia Hartley-Brewer, Mike Graham, Trisha Goddard, Rob Rinder and Jeremy Kyle which started on Monday this week.
There will be further announcements as the plans develop.
