TS News - Flextech Reveals BBC, UK Gold Talks

• From: martyn@twics.com (Martyn Williams)
• Date: Wed, 14 Aug 1996 22:29:58 +0900
• From owner-ts-news@tele-satellit.com Wed Aug 14 09: 51:46 1996

TELE-satellit News, 14 August 1996

Flextech Reveals BBC, UK Gold Talks
  LONDON, England, 96/07/14 (TS) -- Flextech Plc said on Tuesday that it is
in talks with Pearson and Cox Communications with an intention to buy their
stakes in satellite channels UK Gold and UK Living. If successful, the
purchase would leave the channels a partnership with the BBC only.

  The Financial Times, published by Pearson, reported that Flextech and the
BBC were in talks to begin as many as six channels. Flextech responded, "We
can also confirm that the company is in preliminary discussions with the BBC
concerning a possible joint venture. Further announcements will be made as
and when appropriate."

  One of the joint ventures is a North American channel that would carry BBC
programming to the region. Flextech is majority owned by Tele Communications
Inc.

  UK Gold is a British pay TV channel carried in BSkyB's Multichannels basic
package. It consists to re-runs of classic TV programs from the BBC and
Thames Television, owned by Pearson. Currently Flextech holds 27% with the
remainder held by Cox (38%), BBC (20%) and Pearson (15%).

  UK Living is a sister channel and aimed at a female audience. It to is a
basic channel in the BSkyB Multichannels package. Ownership of UK Living is
split between Flextech (35%), Cox (49%) and Pearson (15%).

  The two channels are part of a total of 13 European cable and satellite
channels that the company has interests in.


(c)TELE-satellit 1996. All rights reserved.

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