UKTV dishes up Food Net
UK Food to offer 50% original programming
Joint owner Flextech, part of cable group Telewest, is investing around £20 million ($28.31 million) in the new station, UK Food, which aims to emulate the success of the Food Network in the U.S.
UKTV, one of Britain's most successful feevee ventures, had revenues of $141 million last year. Its success is built on packaging repeats of popular BBC shows alongside some original material.
In return for providing the content, licensed by the pubcaster at market rates, BBC Worldwide reaps a share of UKTV's profits. These amounted to $35.4 million for the year ended March 31.
Reruns of BBC food shows will account for 50% of UK Food's schedule, to be broadcast from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on the same channel as UK Drama, thus keeping overhead down.
The remainder of the programs, mostly live studio shows, will be made exclusively for UK Food.
Ambitious venture
The original production makes the new venture UKTV's most ambitious move since it began broadcasting 3-1/2 years ago.
CEO Dick Emery envisions a profit for UK Food within five years.
Station manager Nick Thorogood said that UK Food had taken a close look at the Food Network in the U.S. and hoped to learn from its experience. "I've had a lot of discussions with the channel to see how we can relate what they do back to viewers in the U.K."
UK Food has concluded deals with all U.K. cable and satellite operators, with the exception of ONdigital, the joint Carlton-Granada venture, which broadcasts the money-losing Carlton Food Network.
Move by UKTV is not likely to be welcomed by commercial rivals, especially Carlton Food Network, in what is a highly competitive digital marketplace. Earlier this year, the Money Channel closed. Other casualties are predicted.
