News UK gears up for talkTV launch in 2022

News UK has announced plans for the launch of a new channel, talkTV, early next year.

The channel will be streamed live on all platforms, including linear TV and OTT platforms, with content available across social media as well as News UK’s own inventory of websites and apps. Everyone in the UK will be able to access the channel, live or on-demand, either on their television or on any personal device.

talkTV will offer a mix of programming from News UK’s stable of household brands. There will be hourly news bulletins, sports and entertainment shows as well as current affairs, debate, opinion and documentaries.

New format shows will be introduced using talent from News UK’s own brands, including talkRADIO, talkSPORT, Virgin Radio, Times Radio, The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times. The company also said that it will hire “exceptional new talent” for prim-time evening programming.

Rebekah Brooks, Chief Executive of News UK, said: “We are committed to providing choice for television and streaming viewers and bringing the best of our journalism to the screen. Taking advantage of modern technology, we can produce high quality shows at low cost.”

“talkTV will provide a rich mix of entertaining and informative shows that no other service provides,” said Scott Taunton, CEO of News UK Broadcasting, who is leading the talkTV launch. “News UK’s brands already engage millions of people through print, digital and audio and we are using those brands to create video programming. We have some of media’s biggest names on our radio stations and in our newspapers, as well as some of the most articulate thought leaders who reflect many different viewpoints. Some of the most talented people in news, sports and entertainment journalism will be taking part as contributors or creating original content for talkTV.”

In preparation for the launch News UK has invested in new TV studios in its HQ in the News Building in London Bridge. The studios are currently being used to provide live news bulletins for talkRADIO.
talkRADIO TV has soft launched on connected TV platforms and is streamed live through the talkRADIO TV app. It is also available on Samsung TV Plus, Apple TV, Rakuten, Roku, YouTube and Amazon Fire TV.