talkTV (British TV channel)

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talkTV
TalkTV logo.png
The news building SE1.jpg
The News Building, London
TypeTelevision news channel
CountryUnited Kingdom
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerNews UK
Key people
History
LaunchedSpring 2022
FounderRupert Murdoch

talkTV is a forthcoming British television channel operated by Rupert Murdoch's News UK, part of the talkRADIO family.[1] It is scheduled to launch in early 2022.[2]

Shows from the channel will be rebroadcast[3] on conservative channels in other countries including on the Fox News spin-off service Fox Nation[4] in the US and on Sky News Australia.[5]

History[]

Background[]

Australian-American newspaper magnate Rupert Murdoch originally entered the British television news market in 1989 with the launch of Sky News.[6] In 1996 Murdoch entered the US and Australian television news markets with Fox News and Sky News Australia.[7][8] In the 2010s the Murdoch family began to sell a number of assets, including 21st Century Fox and Sky Plc (the companies that owned those news channels at the time).[9]

In January 2018, the Competition and Markets Authority issued a preliminary report recommending that Sky News be insulated from the remainder of Murdoch's assets, or divested, in order to preserve its editorial independence.[10] Murdoch retained control of Fox News[9] and Sky News Australia,[11] but Sky News UK was sold to Comcast, leaving Murdoch without a television news presence in the United Kingdom.[12]

Initial foundation as News UK TV[]

In December 2020, Ofcom granted a licence to News UK & Ireland Limited, to operate a new television channel on satellite and cable under the name News UK TV.[13][14][15] By April 2021, it was thought that News UK TV would become a streaming-only service which would operate for a few hours a night.[16][17][18] Rebekah Brooks noted to News UK staff that "it was not commercially viable to launch a traditional news channel on linear TV".[19]

David Rhodes, formerly of CBS News and Fox News, joined News UK with the aim of a launching their streaming video news service in 2020.[20] In an interview with the BBC Radio 4's The Media Show, Andrew Neil claimed that he was approached to join News UK's television output by Rhodes before he joined rival GB News.[21] In April 2021 it was announced that Rhodes was to leave News UK in June.[22] Scott Taunton replaced Rhodes as News UK's CEO of broadcasting.[23]

Pivot to talkTV[]

talkTV marks Rupert Murdoch's return to British television news after being forced to sell Sky News to preserve its editorial independence from his companies

By September 2021, plans for a service called News UK TV had been scrapped and talkRadioTV had been soft-launched as a streaming service on smart/internet-connected TVs, with Mike Graham, Trisha Goddard, Julia Hartley-Brewer, Jeremy Kyle and Robert Rinder featuring as presenters on the service.[24][25] The preceding months had seen right-wing rival, GB News, launch as a linear television channel.[26] The 'talk' brand and family of radio stations had previously been acquired by News UK in 2016 as part of their purchase of Wireless Group.[27]

Later in September 2021, it was reported that the 'talk' brand would be used for a linear television station launching in 2022.[28] It was also reported that talkTV has signed up Piers Morgan to be a presenter of a programme (which would also be shown on Fox Nation in the US and on Sky News Australia).[3][29]

News UK said that it will broadcast hourly news bulletins, sports and entertainment shows as well as current affairs, debate, opinion and documentaries.[28] Chief executive Rebekah Brooks said: "We are committed to providing choice for television 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 low cost."[28] On-air talent will also include members from News UK and Wireless's other radio and newspaper brands.[28]

Broadcast[]

The channel will broadcast from studios within The News Building in Central London.[28] The linear digital terrestrial channel will be available on Freesat and Freeview, as well as on Sky UK and Virgin Media.[28] It will also be available on-demand, either on their television or on any personal device and across News UK's websites, apps and social media.[28]

Notable presenters[]

References[]

  1. ^ Bancroft, Holly (16 September 2021). "Piers Morgan to join Rupert Murdoch's new TV channel TalkTV". The Independent. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  2. ^ Deen, Sarah (16 September 2021). "News UK to launch new TV channel in early 2022 with 'exceptional talent'". Metro. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Piers Morgan to launch new show on Rupert Murdoch-owned network". BBC News. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  4. ^ Goggin, Benjamin (27 November 2018). "Fox Nation, the new streaming service for Fox News 'superfans,' skips news coverage and goes all-in on conservative opinion". Business Insider. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  5. ^ Davies, Anne (23 February 2021). "Sky News Australia is tapping into the global conspiracy set – and it's paying off". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  6. ^ Brown, Maggie (5 February 2009). "Sky TV's launch: 'a wing and a prayer'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  7. ^ "FOX News Channel announced 20 years ago". Fox News. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  8. ^ "About Sky News". Sky News Australia. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  9. ^ a b Horsman, Mathew (15 November 2018). "What Comcast's purchase of Sky means for the future of the pay-TV platform". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  10. ^ Sweney, Mark (23 January 2018). "Rupert Murdoch's Sky bid is not in public interest, says regulator". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  11. ^ Battersby, Lucy (1 December 2016). "News Corp buys Sky News in Australia and New Zealand from Seven and Nine". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  12. ^ Mayhew, Freddy (25 September 2018). "Comcast stands by pledge to maintain funding for Sky News over ten years and create new editorial board with safeguards for independence". Press Gazette. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  13. ^ "News UK TV". Ofcom. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  14. ^ Waterson, Jim (1 December 2020). "Rupert Murdoch's News UK TV channel given approval to launch". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  15. ^ Sherwin, Adam (1 December 2020). "Rupert Murdoch's 'opinionated' News UK TV channel set to launch next year after Ofcom approval". inews.co.uk.
  16. ^ Cushion, Stephen (3 February 2021). "News UK TV and GB News: New channels stoke fears of more partisan journalism". The Conversation. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  17. ^ Tobbitt, Charlotte (5 February 2021). "News UK gives first hints on TV plans". Press Gazette.
  18. ^ Waterson, Jim (27 April 2021). "Rupert Murdoch scales back plan for News UK TV channel". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  19. ^ Coster, Helen (27 April 2021). "Murdoch's News Corp abandons plans for TV news channel in Britain". Reuters. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  20. ^ Smith, Ben (1 May 2020). "A Onetime Leader of Fox News Returns to the Murdoch Fold". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  21. ^ "The Media Show, Andrew Neil: A 50-year media career". BBC Radio 4. 12 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Exclusive: Murdoch pulls News UK television channel". The Spectator. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  23. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (27 April 2021). "David Rhodes to leave News UK TV streaming project". Press Gazette. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  24. ^ "talkRADIO releases TV show looking at extreme cancel culture". RadioToday. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  25. ^ Mann, Colin. "News UK to launch talkTV". Advanced Television. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  26. ^ "GB News: I became a minority of one, says Andrew Neil". BBC News. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  27. ^ Mayhew, Freddy (26 September 2016). "Rupert Murdoch's News Corp completes Wireless Group takeover". Press Gazette. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g "News UK to launch new channel, talkTV". News UK. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  29. ^ Waterson, Jim (16 September 2021). "Piers Morgan hired to launch Rupert Murdoch TV station talkTV". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
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