MUMBAI: UK based sport radio station talkSPORT, has today announced plans for its expansion into Asia.
The radio station plans to launch its new 24 hour sports FM radio services in India, along with other key markets including Jakarta, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand initially followed by Philippines, with further services becoming available in markets in China.
talkSPORT director of strategy Jimmy Buckland announced at Radio Asia 2012 in Jakarta, that the team aims to work collaboratively with Asia’s radio broadcasters to deliver the brand to sports fanatics across the continent.
The announcement follows station’s recent agreement to become the official Global Audio Partner of the Barclays Premier League for the next four football seasons (2012/13 – 2015/16). The deal grants the radio station audio rights outside Europe for the next four seasons, with internet users across Asia gaining access to an innovative new service from August 2012, offering commentary on all 380 Barclays Premier League games in English, Spanish and Mandarin.
talkSPORT chief executive Scott Taunton said, “Our expansion into Asia builds on the significant progress the station has made in the UK in establishing itself as the world’s largest sports radio station. Our recent agreement with the Barclays Premier League to become its global audio partner provides the perfect platform for this next stage in our development as we seek to forge a range of exciting partnerships with some of Asia’s leading radio broadcasters.”
Launched in 2000, talkSPORT is the world’s largest dedicated sports radio station with an audience of more than 3.2 million adults in the UK and was named UK Radio Station of the Year at the 2011 Sony Radio Academy Awards. talkSPORT is part of UTV Media plc, which is one of the UK and Ireland’s media groups which also publishes Sport, the most widely read print and digital sports publication in the UK.