SMG plc

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SMG plc
Type	Public - LSE
Founded	1957 (as Scottish Television plc)
Headquarters	Glasgow,  Scotland Aberdeen,  Scotland London,  England
Key people	Rob Woodward, (CEO); Richard Findlay (Chairman)[1]
Industry	Media
Products	Television, Radio, Advertising, Internet
Revenue	£210M GBP
Employees	700
Website	smg.plc.uk

Scottish Media Group plc is a Scottish media company. Originally formed as Scottish Television plc, it changed to its current name in 1996 when it acquired Caledonian Publishing, owners of Glasgow-based newspapers The Herald and Evening Times (both of which have since been sold). It then went on to acquire its fellow Scottish-based ITV license holder Grampian Television in 1997. In 1999 it launched a new Sunday broadsheet newspaper, the Sunday Herald. The company finally renamed itself as "SMG plc" in 2000 by which time it had expanded further through the acquisitions of Primesight (outdoor advertising, Pearl & Dean (cinema advertising) and Ginger Media Group, which included Ginger Television and the UK radio station, Virgin Radio.

ITV plc now holds a 16.9% stake in the business.

Contents 1 Television 1.1 STV 1.1.1 Digital channels 1.2 SMG Productions 1.3 Ginger Productions 2 Radio 3 Advertising 4 Internet 4.1 peopleschampion.com 4.2 smartycars.com 4.3 stv.tv 4.4 scotlandontv.tv 4.5 virginradio.co.uk 5 Studios 6 Relationship with ITV plc 7 Merger proposals 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Television

[edit] STV

Main article: STV

SMG owns the two Scottish ITV licences, Scottish Television, which covers Central Scotland, and Grampian Television, covering Northern Scotland.

On 2 March 2006, it was announced by SMG plc that Scottish Television would revert to using its former brand name of "STV", which it previously used from the start of colour broadcasting in 1969 until 30 August 1985, and which the station is still informally known as in parts of Scotland. At the same time, Grampian Television would also become known as STV, so one identity will serve the two SMG licences. The name change took place on 30 May 2006. The stations are the most popular peak-time stations in Scotland and broadcast a mix of network shows such as Coronation Street and The X Factor alongside local programming such as Scotland Today and North Tonight and the UK's longest-running sports programme, Scotsport.

[edit] Digital channels

SMG ran its own digital channel, S2, throughout the Scottish and Grampian ITV regions. S2, which aired on the Digital Terrestrial platform, was launched April 30, 1999 and replaced with ITV2 just over two years later - as part of a deal with ITV Digital - on 27 July 2001. [1]

Sky Scottish was a satellite television channel operating on the analogue Sky TV service between 1 November 1996 and 31 May 1998. The service was a joint venture between British Sky Broadcasting and SMG plc. It initially broadcast between 6.00pm and 8.00pm in Scotland. The channel was closed due to poor ratings.

[edit] SMG Productions

Main article: SMG Productions

SMG Productions is the network television production arm of SMG plc. With bases in Glasgow and London, its output includes drama, factual/factual entertainment, entertainment and children’s programming. With a client list that includes all the UK terrestrial networks as well as the major satellite and cable channels, the company is one of the key programme suppliers to the UK television market.

[edit] Ginger Productions

Main article: Ginger Productions

Ginger Productions, alongside its big brother production company, SMG Productions, is part of the network production arm of SMG plc. Based in Waterhouse Square in London, its output focuses on Entertainment and Factual Entertainment.

Ginger was acquired as part of SMG’s acquisition of the Ginger Media Group in 1999.

[edit] Radio

Main article: Virgin Radio

SMG owns Virgin Radio, a British commercial music radio station based in London.

Virgin Radio was launched as 'Virgin 1215' nationally on 1215 kHz (although some regional transmitters used other frequencies) at 12.15pm on 30 April 1993 by Richard Branson as part of his Virgin brand. It has since been sold to Ginger Media (which was subsequently bought by SMG plc) but has kept the Virgin name.

[edit] Advertising

SMG owns outdoor billboard advertiser Primesight and cinema advertiser Pearl & Dean, whose rival Carlton Screen Advertising is owned by ITV plc.

Primesight and Pearl & Dean were also purchased in 2000 as part of Ginger Media Group.

In 2006, SMG plc plans to sell of Pearl & Dean and Primesight. ^[2]

[edit] Internet

[edit] peopleschampion.com

peopleschampion.com is a consumer advice page with targeted on a wide array of subjects from choosing energy suppliers to getting mortgages.

[edit] smartycars.com

SMG's new car website.

[edit] stv.tv

The URL stv.tv is the address of the main website of STV. The website currently offers News, Sport, Weather, Entertainment, Competitions, Bingo, Romance, and STV programme information, and TV listings.

[edit] scotlandontv.tv

SMG has launched a broadband television service in the autumn of 2006, which will make thousands of hours of programmes, such as High Road, available over the web.

The Glasgow-based media company says the new channel, called Scotlandontv.tv will make use of a back catalogue stretching back 50 years.

[edit] virginradio.co.uk

Virgin Radio runs well-known and established internet websites, offering live streaming, on-demand audio and a variety of services.

[edit] Studios

The SMG studios in Glasgow were located on Renfield Street in Cowcaddens, Glasgow since Scottish Television's launch in 1957, but moved to new studios in Pacific Quay, a development situated next to the River Clyde, in July 2006, alongside BBC Scotland's new studios and the Glasgow Science Centre. SMG's Aberdeen studios are based at a new purpose-built site in the city's Tullos area. [2]

[edit] Relationship with ITV plc

SMG plc has had a turbulent relationship with ITV plc and both Carlton and Granada, the predecessor companies that merged to create it. ITV plc owns the ITV franchises in England, Wales and the Scottish Borders and operates, or has operated, several operations using the ITV name, such as ITV Digital and the ITV Sports Channel. SMG threatened to take legal action over the use of the name 'ITV' because it is the name of the Independent Television network, which Scottish and Grampian are both part of. One of the problems facing SMG is that ITV is the senior partner when it comes to its two TV stations, since London-based ITV effectively controls most of the scheduling and is also responsible for selling stv's advertising airtime.

[edit] Merger proposals

In September 2006, SMG officially rejected a merger offer from Northern Irish ITV franchise holder UTV. The merger approach from would have given SMG shareholders a 52% stake in the combined company. The Scottish group said its board had examined a revised merger proposal from UTV - which operates the ITV franchise in Northern Ireland - but did not believe it reflected the value of the company. ^[3]

ITV is considering making an offer for SMG plc, the Mail on Sunday reported. The newspaper quoted an ITV source as saying John Cresswell, acting chief executive at the broadcaster, was most interested in SMG's television franchises but that any deal would be for the whole group, including Virgin Radio, which SMG also owns. An ITV spokesman declined to comment on the report.
SMG said earlier this month its 2006 profit would be materially behind expectations, sending its shares down more than a quarter in value to a 15-year low. ^[4]

On January 10, 2007, SMG and Belfast-domiciled UTV media group agreed the details of their merger, including a revised share split between the two. UTV, would own 54% of the group. SMG would take the remaining 46%.^[5]

[edit] References

1. ^ London Stock Exchange website 28 February 2007, accessed 7 March 2007
2. ^ London Stock Exchange website 13 September 2006, accessed 7 March 2006
3. ^ Media Guardian (subscription required) 29 August 2006, accessed 7 March 2007
4. ^ The Scotsman 29 October 2006, accessed 7 March 2007
5. ^ Steiner, Rupert The Business "UTV gains ground in SMG merger negotiations" 10 January 2007, accessed 7 March 2007

[edit] External links

• SMG plc smg.plc.uk
• SMG Television smg.tv