Five consider merger with Flextech (UKTV)

Media Guardian reports that Five are considering a merger with Flextech, the company behind Bravo, Challenge, FTN, Trouble and Living - plus UK TV in conjunction with the BBC.

Five looks to Flextech for multi-channel future

Richard Wray
Monday November 22, 2004
The Guardian



Media Guardian

Five do re-broadcast some content from the Flextech channels, especially Bravo, and I think the deal would work quite well for both companies - and help Living achieve it's desired position of 6th most popular channel. However, if Five began broadcasting more programmes from Living, Bravo, Trouble and Challenge I think FTN's days would be numbered.

What percentage of Five do RTL own?

I'm sure that there are channels called "RTL" in several countries. I bet if RTL were to ever own Five outright, that it would be renamed as such, as the UK is probably one of very few European countries that don't yet have an "RTL" branded channel.

To be exact, its 64.625%, the rest of five is owned by United Business Media plc at 35.375%

Didn't UBM used to be UNM, who owned Meridian, Anglia and HTV?

I think they did, but when they sold Anglia, Meridian and HTV to Granada in 2000 the whole company changed, I thought when they sold it off, I thought they sold off everything, but heard that a few things remained, only the ITV stations were the things sold off, but it was valuable to UBM as they brought in £700 Million I believe.