Live TV is likely to disappear as a brand following Trinity
Mirror’s decision to sell the loss-making cable TV station to NTL for
pounds 15m to pounds 20m.
No one at Trinity Mirror or NTL was available to comment on the talks,
which are in an advanced state. However, sources believe NTL is only
interested in Live TV’s transponder space and will scrap the brand when
the deal is concluded next month. As a result, up to 270 staff would be
likely to be made redundant.
Live TV has been a takeover target for some time because of its unique
minimum carriage agreement, which gives it guaranteed access to all
cable homes in the UK until 2005.
Live TV was launched four years ago by Janet Street-Porter and former
Mirror Group chief executive, Kelvin MacKenzie. However, the station was
more successful at publicity than making money - last year it lost
pounds 9m.
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