Virgin Media's UKTV stake up for sale

... as widely speculated

Virgin Media's UKTV stake up for sale

Cable company puts price tag of about £350m on 50% stake in broadcaster, with BBC Worldwide having first refusal. Virgin Media has put its 50% stake in UKTV, owner of channels including Dave and Gold, up for sale with a price tag of about £350m.

The cable company, whose chief executive Neil Berkett admitted to MediaGuardian.co.uk two weeks ago that a UKTV sale was being lined up, has moved one step closer by reportedly appointing UBS and Goldman Sachs to find a new owner.

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WWW.GUARDIAN.CO.UK/MEDIA

If it doesn't go to Channel 4 or BBC Worldwide I'd be most surprised.

It would be better if ITV got it?

I'd prefer Channel 4 to get it personally, expand the family of channel's programming catalogue.

While I would like to see Channel 4 take up the stake, I'd be surprised if they've got the funds available. If BBC Worldwide bought up Virgin's share, would that mean they were the sole shareholder, and would that be permitted under the BBC's charter?

I suspect it would be politically iffy for the BBC to splurge several hundred million on commercial channels at present

Well the current catalouge of programming is 99% BBC content anyway, so it would make more sense for Channel 4 or ITV to have a chance. I guess if ITV did it would make it easier to cross promote Primeval on Watch.

Yes, of all the potential business benefits, I expect that is top of the list and really justifies the £350m price tag.

They could sell it again or sell a percentage again. Not sure that would happen. It would obviously be best for Channel 4 to have the other half but would they be able to that is the question.

Heaven forbid provide an example of how it would work...

I would have thought ITV wouldn't want to promote it going out on another channel even if they have part ownership.

Channel Four has been providing programming to UKTV for over a year now.

http://uktv.co.uk/network/item/aid/626959