UTV Media GB in Warrington will be running South Africa’s first 24-hour sports radio station, talkSPORT 540AM.
It has a potential audience of 8m people, covering the Gauteng province and the commercial and administrative areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The subsidiary of UTV Media PLC was awarded the licence by the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa, along with its 4 joint venture partners.
The 5 partners each hold 20% equity in the station, and the investors include former South African national football team manager, Jomo Sono, plus Nomfanelo Mafwentshu, who was the chief operating officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee.
“As Global Audio Partner of the Premier League we know what a huge appetite there is for sports radio around the world, and had first-hand experience in South Africa as official broadcasters of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” explained Scott Taunton, UTV Media (GB) chief executive.
“Our joint venture partners know South African sport and media better than anyone, including Jomo Sono who brings tremendous local insight. I’m looking forward to expanding talkSPORT even further as we launch this exciting new development in the brand’s history.”
