UBC Media Group plc is pleased to announce that the first Channel 4 radio programme to be broadcast on its digital radio joint venture with Channel 4 television, Oneword, will premiere tomorrow.
The weekly series focusing on major news issues of the day will begin airing at 8am on Friday, 20 January, on Oneword and will be cross-promoted tonight on Channel 4 News. UBC and Channel 4 are taking advantage of a relaxation in the rules governing cross-promotion announced last summer by Ofcom.
The first programme, ‘From Mellow to Mental’, will feature a highly topical investigation into cannabis and its re-classification.
Commenting on the launch of the series, Simon Cole, CEO of UBC said:
‘This is an extremely significant development. When we sold 51% of Oneword to C4 last year, we said that our aim in forming the joint venture was, for the first time in commercial radio, to create the kind of TV and radio cross promotion that has proved so powerful for the BBC in generating listening to its digital services. In an increasingly competitive multi-channel radio future, the stations that stand out will be those with distinctive programming and a strong cross-platform brand. We believe that, in partnership with Channel 4, we can build Oneword into a powerful new national station to compete with the best in speech radio.’
Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention, Chief Executive of Channel 4, Andy Duncan, said:
‘Digital radio is a key part of the new media landscape and Channel 4 needs to be there … Our involvement will be a real boost for commercial radio.’