Oneword
| 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 January 1, 2008 the remaining staff were dismissed.[6] Oneword ceased broadcasting on DAB on Friday January 11, 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]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Two digital radio stations to close, The Guardian, January 10, 2008
- ^ "Oneword Radio unveils launch schedule". Broadcast Now. 18 April 2000. http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/multi-platform/news/oneword-radio-unveils-launch-schedule/1194026.article. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Channel 4 plans digital radio station, The Guardian, August 27, 2004
- ^ Investors turned off by returns on digital radio, The Times, December 9, 2007
- ^ Change or die, says Oneword owner, The Guardian, 4 January 2008
- ^ Forum posting from former Programme Manager confirming dismissal of staff and imminent closure, 1 January 2008
- ^ "Birdsong is Back". Digital One. 2008-01-11. http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/news/display.asp?id=290. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
- ^ Birdsong radio taken off air, BBC News, 1 June 2009
- ^ Mahoney, Elisabeth (2008-02-07). "Cheep and cheerful - the new radio hit". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/feb/07/cheepandcheerfulthenewrad. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
