Oneword

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Oneword (Defunct)
Broadcast area United Kingdom
Frequency DAB: 11D (Digital One)
Freeview: 717
Sky Digital: 0127
Format Speech
Audience share approx 151,000[1] (September 2007, RAJAR)
Owner UBC Media
Website www.oneword.co.uk

Oneword Radio was a British commercial digital radio station featuring books, drama, comedy, children's programming, and discussion. The station was available in the UK via digital radio (DAB) and digital television (Freeview DVB-T and Sky Digital DVB-S) and was streamed on the internet 24 hours a day worldwide. It was launched on 2 May 2000.[2]

Ownership was shared between UBC Media Group and the UK's Channel 4 between early 2005 and December 2007.[3] In October 2005 Channel 4 increased its stake to a majority by buying 51% of Oneword for £1 million. Oneword carried the Channel 4 Radio daily news broadcast at 7.30 on weekday mornings, The Morning Report, which is produced by the Channel 4 news team.

Virgin Media removed OneWord from their ex-NTL channel lineup on 4 October 2007. Oneword was not on ex-Telewest at the time.

In December 2007 Channel 4 decided to withdraw its funding, selling its share back to UBC Media Group for £1.[4][5] All programming was replaced by repeats of previous output. On 1 January 2008 the remaining staff were dismissed.[6] Oneword ceased broadcasting on DAB on Friday 11 January 2008.[1]

After broadcasting ended, birdsong was broadcast on the channel[7] until a permanent replacement, Amazing Radio, came on air on 1 June 2009.[8] It has been claimed that the audience for the station was higher while the birdsong was playing than when the station was broadcasting normally.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Two digital radio stations to close, The Guardian, 10 January 2008
  2. ↑ "Oneword Radio unveils launch schedule". Broadcast Now. 18 April 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2009. 
  3. ↑ Channel 4 plans digital radio station, The Guardian, 27 August 2004
  4. ↑ Investors turned off by returns on digital radio, The Times, 9 December 2007
  5. ↑ Change or die, says Oneword owner, The Guardian, 4 January 2008
  6. ↑ Forum posting from former Programme Manager confirming dismissal of staff and imminent closure, 1 January 2008
  7. ↑ "Birdsong is Back". Digital One. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
  8. ↑ Birdsong radio taken off air, BBC News, 1 June 2009
  9. ↑ Mahoney, Elisabeth (2008-02-07). "Cheep and cheerful – the new radio hit". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
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