New Broadcast Join Venture
November 14 2003 - 1:00AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:0643S
SP Holdings PLC
14 November 2003
14 November 2003
SP HOLDINGS PLC
SUBSIDIARY FORMS NEW BROADCAST JOINT VENTURE
SP Active Ltd, the sports and entertainment subsidiary of SP Holdings PLC, and
leading independent television company, Diverse Production, announce that they
have formed a new joint venture, DSP TV Ltd.
The new company has been set up to create, own, develop and exploit new
broadcast intellectual properties, particularly in the sports genre. It has
already secured the rights to two new football formats.
Diverse, creator of Channel 4's smash hit 'Operatunity' which has recently won
the prestigious Prix Italia award, is one of Britain's leading independent
television and new media production companies. Winners of Emmy, BAFTA and Royal
Television Society awards, Diverse has also been twice nominated Best
Independent Production Company at The Broadcast Awards.
Commenting on behalf of SP Active, Matthew Patten, CEO, said:
'The revolution in television, radio and electronic media presents all sorts of
new communication and business opportunities. We are expert in leveraging
incremental revenues for our clients through merchandising, licensing,
sponsorship and brand extension. DSP TV now adds broadcast to that list, and
also provides us with the major opportunity to create and leverage our own
intellectual properties.'
Roy Ackerman, Joint Head of Programmes for Diverse, said:
'The independent television sector is waking up to the new commercial
opportunities presented in the proposed Broadcast Bill. We are well known for
the quality and originality of our programming, and through DSP TV and other
deals we are initiating, we are expanding our commercial horizons of which we
see sports as a particular opportunity.'
Enquiries:
SP Active Ltd Telephone: 020 7292 8950
Matthew Patten
Diverse TV Telephone: 020 7855 7433
Roy Ackerman
Hudson Sandler Telephone: 020 7796 4133
Nick Lyon / Wendy Baker
Editors Notes
SP Active Ltd
SP Active Ltd is a subsidiary of SP Holdings PLC.
The company provides a range of marketing services in the sports and
entertainment sectors including:
* Retail merchandising & licensing
* Sponsorship consultancy & representation
* Media & Brand partnerships
* Talent management
* Intellectual Property development
The company's clients include JVC, Thomson TUI, Procter & Gamble, Leeds Utd, and
Channel 4.
SP HOLDINGS PLC operates two divisions: SP Active Limited ('SPA'), its marketing
subsidiary, and SP Financial Services and Mottram Partners, its subsidiaries in
the area of financial services.
* SP Holdings announced the acquisition by its subsidiary, SP Active Ltd, of
Chris Reed Marketing Ltd, the brand/media barter specialist, on 1 August
2003.
* On 29 September 2003 SP Holdings announced the acquisition of the goodwill
and tangible assets of the independent financial advisor Robert Ward.
* SP Holdings announced the acquisition of 'Observebrands', a specialist
retail and fashion brand consultancy, via its new subsidiary, SP Brands
Limited, on 20 October 2003.
* SP Holdings announced the acquisition of the entire issued capital of
Provisor Global Search Limited, a specialist human resources consultancy, on
27 October 2003.
* SP Holdings announced the acquisition of the entire issued capital of
Retail Source Limited ("Retail Source"), a specialist retail marketing
consultancy, on 3 November 2003.
* SP Holdings announced the appointment of Steve Hayward as Chief Operating
Officer on 3 November 2003.
* SP Holdings announced the appointment of Sally Hart as a Non-Executive
Director on 14 November 2003.
DIVERSE PRODUCTION (www.diverse.co.uk)
Established in 1982, Diverse is one of Britain's leading independent factual
programme makers, with an award winning track record in innovative and popular
TV. Twice shortlisted for Broadcast Awards best indie, it produces cutting-edge
factual programmes across all genres, notably documentaries, history, science,
arts, docudrama, documentary format, factual entertainment and multi-cultural
programmes.
Diverse programmes include Battlecentre, a documentary about a large house in a
rundown London suburb which hosts an eclectic and unpredictable community set up
by the Jesus Army. Diverse was also awarded Best Adventure Film 2001 for
Seconds To Impact, an adrenalin fuelled journey into the illegal world of
BASE-jumping, the ultimate in extreme sports. Other recent highlights include
Body Snippers, a fascinating two part exploration into the world of race and
plastic surgery; The Trial of Henry Kissinger, a controversial and searing
investigation into the machinations of one the most powerful men in American
political history; Underworld, a three part series in which best-selling author
Graham Hancock scours the sea to find evidence of a lost civilisation; The Real
James Hunt, The Real James Bond and The Real George V three illuminating and
acclaimed highlights from Channel 4's popular biography strand; Arundhati Roy's
Damnation a personal account of the events leading up to the campaigning Booker
prize winner's imprisonment for contempt of court; and The Phil (winner of an
International Emmy for Best Arts Programme), a landmark observational series
about the internationally renowned Philharmonia Orchestra.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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