Rupert Murdoch’s News UK has scrapped plans to re-enter the linear TV market following a review which found the news channel to be commercially unviable.
In an email to staff, CEO Rebekah Brooks confirmed that David Rhodes, the man hired to oversee the project, was stepping down from his role in June.
Brooks said:
Whilst there is consumer demand for alternative news provision, the costs of running a rolling news channel are considerable, and it is our assessment that the payback for our shareholders wouldn’t be sufficient.
The company’s newly-founded TV division will merge into News UK Broadcasting with Scott Taunton, current CEO of Wireless (its radio/audio operation), appointed as CEO.
It comes as the group’s speech radio stations continue to engage (and, in some cases, enrage) audiences on social media with high quality video content.
This is particularly relevant to talkRADIO which streams live on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter throughout the day with TV news channel graphics and remote guests in vision.
In fact, when Murdoch’s TV plans were first rumoured, I was expecting the venture to eventually replace it.
There was talk of a channel that would take inspiration from the Fox News model and include right wing commentary (within the UK’s stricter broadcast code), which is essentially what talkRADIO has become.
Meanwhile, at GB News - the forthcoming channel chaired by Andrew Neil, they’ve recently signed Alastair Stewart, Simon McCoy, Kirsty Gallacher and others, as well as most people in my Twitter timeline to work behind the scenes.
It was founded by media execs Andrew Cole and Mark Schneider and promises a full schedule of opinion and debate-led programming.
Despite controversy surrounding the channel’s perceived political stance, insiders have hit back insisting it will be "committed to impartial journalism".
Of course, due impartiality will need to be preserved across the schedule - but, like stations such as LBC, individual shows can be opinionated. talkRADIO get away with a predominantly right wing lineup by inviting callers and guests who hold different views.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Murdoch looks to get his hands on GB News eventually.
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