News Broadcasting

News Broadcasting, legally known as News UK Broadcasting Limited, is a radio and digital media network headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The business is the successor to UTV Media’s radio, advertising-sales and digital operations after UTV sold its television assets to ITV plc in 2016. It is owned by News Corp and forms part of the wider News UK group. Its activities are concentrated on radio broadcasting, digital radio infrastructure and related digital services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The company’s history combines two strands. The first is the development of UTV’s wider media group from the former Ulster Television business. UTV expanded beyond its Northern Irish television franchise through internet, telecommunications, online commerce and radio investments. Its radio expansion began in Ireland with the acquisition of Cork stations 96FM and C103 in 2001. In 2005, UTV acquired The Wireless Group, a major transaction that added Talksport, local British stations, digital-radio interests and other broadcasting assets. UTV also launched U105 for the Belfast market and acquired Liverpool station Juice FM. These moves made radio a substantial part of the group alongside television and new media. The second strand is the independent history of The Wireless Group. Its roots lay in Talk Radio, which was renamed Talksport in 2000. TalkCo, a consortium associated with Kelvin MacKenzie and several investment partners, acquired the group in 1998. The following year it bought The Radio Partnership, adding nine local commercial stations, and adopted the Wireless Group name. This business later became part of UTV Media and supplied the core of the present British radio division. UTV reorganised its corporate structure during the 2000s. Ulster Television plc changed its name to UTV plc in 2006, and a new holding structure, UTV Media plc, took effect in October 2007. Proposed combinations with STV Group in 2006 and 2007 did not proceed. UTV subsequently launched UTV Ireland in January 2015, bringing ITV programming and locally produced news to the Irish television market. That television operation was sold to ITV, together with UTV’s ITV franchise, in 2016. The retained radio and related operations were renamed Wireless Group plc. Wireless also participated in the Sound Digital consortium, which won a licence for the United Kingdom’s second national digital-radio multiplex in 2015. The multiplex launched in February 2016 and supported Talksport 2, Talkradio and a relaunched Virgin Radio UK, alongside other services. News Corp agreed to acquire Wireless Group in June 2016, and the transaction completed in September of that year. Wireless subsequently operated within News UK while maintaining radio activities in Britain and Ireland. The British division, Radio GB, includes Talksport and other radio interests. Local stations were announced for sale to Bauer Radio in 2019, reflecting a concentration on national and strategically important services. The Irish operation, formerly Wireless Ireland, was rebranded Onic in March 2025, alongside the launch of ten digital radio services on DAB+ in the Leinster region and online. The group has also operated digital and commercial activities, including the former Sport magazine and the Zesty digital agency. As of the latest supplied information, News Broadcasting operates five stations in Ireland and 18 in the United Kingdom, with its business organised around Radio GB, Onic and Digital operations.

The business traces its institutional origins to UTV, the company associated with Northern Ireland’s ITV franchise from 1959. UTV expanded into new media and communications in the 2000s, acquiring ISP Direct Net Access in 2000 and developing it into UTV Internet, later UTV Connect. It subsequently entered telephone and broadband services through UTV Talk and operated an online vehicle-sales venture, although those non-radio businesses were later sold. Radio became a central growth area after UTV acquired Cork stations 96FM and C103 in 2001. In 2005, UTV purchased The Wireless Group for £97 million. The transaction added Talksport, local British stations, digital-radio interests and other assets. UTV also launched U105 in Belfast and acquired Liverpool station Juice FM. The acquisition connected UTV’s Irish broadcasting base with a substantial British commercial-radio portfolio. The Wireless Group itself developed from Talk Radio, which changed its name to Talksport in 2000. TalkCo acquired the group in 1998, and in 1999 it purchased The Radio Partnership, adding nine local commercial stations. The enlarged company became known as The Wireless Group. UTV changed its corporate name from Ulster Television plc to UTV plc in 2006 and implemented a broader UTV Media plc holding structure in 2007. Proposed mergers with STV Group were discussed and abandoned during this period. In January 2015, UTV launched UTV Ireland, a television channel carrying ITV programming and original Irish news content. UTV also held a 30 percent stake in Sound Digital, whose successful bid for the United Kingdom’s second national digital radio multiplex was confirmed in March 2015. The multiplex launched on 29 February 2016, with services including Talksport 2, Talkradio and a relaunched Virgin Radio UK introduced around the launch period. UTV sold its television franchise and UTV Ireland to ITV in February 2016. The continuing radio, digital and sales operations were renamed Wireless Group plc. News Corp announced its acquisition of Wireless in June 2016 and completed the transaction on 26 September 2016. The company thereafter operated within News UK and News Corp’s media structure. The group later rationalised parts of its local-radio portfolio. In 2019, it announced that its local stations would be sold to Bauer Radio. Its remaining activities included national radio, digital broadcasting and Irish radio operations. Wireless Ireland, together with its UrbanMedia sales house, was rebranded Onic in March 2025. Onic launched ten digital radio services on DAB+ in Leinster and online. The supplied reference describes the current network as operating five stations in Ireland and 18 in the United Kingdom.

1. 2025Irish operations rebrand as Onic

   Wireless Ireland and UrbanMedia adopted the Onic brand and introduced ten DAB+ and online digital services in Leinster.

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2. 2016Television assets sold and radio business renamed Wireless Group

   ITV acquired the television operations, while the retained radio and digital assets became Wireless Group.

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3. 2016News Corp acquisition completed

   News Corp completed its purchase of Wireless Group in September.

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4. 2015UTV Ireland launches

   The company launched a television service for Ireland with ITV programming and original news output.

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5. 2007UTV Media holding structure takes effect

   A reorganisation transferred the group’s retained businesses into UTV Media plc.

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6. 2005UTV acquires The Wireless Group

   The acquisition added Talksport, local stations and digital-radio interests to UTV’s portfolio.

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7. 2001UTV enters Irish radio

   UTV expanded into radio through the acquisition of Cork stations 96FM and C103.

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8. 1959Ulster Television begins Northern Ireland ITV operations

   The corporate lineage begins with the launch of Ulster Television as Northern Ireland’s ITV franchise holder.

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A commercially focused radio and digital broadcasting network serving audiences and advertisers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with particular strength in national sports and speech radio, local British stations and Irish regional broadcasting.

• TalksportNational sports and speech radio2000

  A UK national commercial radio service and the principal historical asset associated with The Wireless Group. The station originated as Talk Radio and was renamed Talksport in 2000, becoming a central part of the group’s British radio strategy.

• Talksport 2Digital sports radio2016

  A sister digital radio service developed in connection with the Sound Digital national multiplex. It broadened the group’s sports-radio offering beyond the original Talksport service.

• TalkradioDigital speech radio2016

  A speech-oriented sister service introduced around the launch of the second UK national digital radio multiplex, extending the group’s talk-radio proposition into digital broadcasting.

• U105Local commercial radio2005

  A Belfast-area station launched by UTV in 2005. It formed part of the local and regional radio portfolio later carried into Wireless Group and News Broadcasting.

• OnicIrish radio and digital services2025

  The brand adopted by the former Wireless Ireland and UrbanMedia operations in 2025. Onic operates Irish radio activities and launched ten DAB+ and online digital radio services in the Leinster area.

• 2025Rebrand of Irish operations as OnicStrategy

  The Irish radio and advertising operations were refreshed under a new identity and expanded into digital radio.

  What changed. Wireless Ireland and UrbanMedia rebranded as Onic and launched ten DAB+ services in Leinster, alongside online services.

  Aftermath. The rebrand positioned the Irish operation around a broader radio and digital-services proposition.

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• 2019Planned sale of local radio stations to BauerM&A

  Wireless reviewed its British local-radio portfolio after becoming part of News Corp.

  What changed. The company announced that its local stations would be sold to Bauer Radio.

  Aftermath. The decision supported a more concentrated focus on national and strategically important radio services.

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• 2016News Corp acquisition of Wireless GroupM&A

  Wireless Group remained a radio, digital and sales business after the disposal of UTV’s television operations.

  What changed. News Corp agreed to purchase Wireless Group in an all-cash transaction and completed the acquisition in September 2016.

  Aftermath. Wireless became part of News UK and the wider News Corp media group.

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• 2015Sale of UTV television assets to ITVM&A

  UTV sought to separate its television franchise and Irish television channel from its retained radio and digital businesses.

  What changed. ITV agreed to acquire the UTV ITV franchise and UTV Ireland for £100 million, subject to regulatory approval.

  Aftermath. The transaction completed in February 2016, and the retained operations were renamed Wireless Group.

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• 2025Wireless Ireland and UrbanMedia rebrand as Onic

  The Irish radio and sales operations adopted the Onic name and launched ten digital radio services on DAB+ across Leinster and online.

  Product launch
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• 2019Wireless local stations announced for sale to Bauer Radio

  Wireless announced plans to sell its local radio stations to Bauer Radio as the group focused its British radio portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2016UTV radio business rebrands as Wireless Group

  Following completion of the television sale to ITV, the retained radio and related operations adopted the Wireless Group name.

  Leadership change
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• 2016News Corp agrees to acquire Wireless Group

  News Corp reached an agreement to purchase Wireless Group in an all-cash transaction, which completed in September 2016.

  M&A
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• 2015UTV launches UTV Ireland television channel

  UTV Ireland launched with ITV programming and locally produced content, including the Ireland Live news programme.

  Product launch
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• 2015Wireless-linked Sound Digital consortium wins second UK national digital radio multiplex

  Sound Digital, in which the company held a 30 percent interest, was selected to operate the United Kingdom’s second national digital radio multiplex.

  Other
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• 2015ITV agrees to acquire UTV television assets

  ITV announced an agreement to acquire UTV’s ITV franchise and UTV Ireland for £100 million, while UTV retained its radio operations.

  M&A
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1. News Broadcasting