24 August 2010: Thinkbox today announced that UKTV, the leading digital broadcaster, will join Thinkbox as a shareholder in January 2011. Julia Jordan, UKTV’s Executive Director, Business & Operations, will take a place on the Thinkbox board.

UKTV will join the existing Thinkbox shareholders, Channel 4, Five, GMTV, ITV, Sky Media, and Turner Media Innovations, making Thinkbox’s representation of the commercial TV market in the UK nearly 100% in 2011, through their owned and partner channels.

Tess Alps, chief executive of Thinkbox: “We’re delighted that UKTV has decided to support Thinkbox’s mission by becoming a full shareholder. We look forward to working with them and our other shareholders to help advertisers enjoy the business success that TV advertising, in all its forms, can bring.”

Julia Jordan, UKTV’s Executive Director, Business & Operations: “UKTV is very focussed on embracing the evolution of television and what better time to join forces with Thinkbox to help broadcast the fact that this digitally-enhanced medium is in its most exciting and impactful phase yet.  Technology is evolving television into a multiplatform experience that makes it ever more accessible and effective for advertisers.  I am very excited at the prospect of working with Tess and the team to continue to market this powerful medium.”

UKTV is a joint venture between Virgin Media and BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm. Attracting 37 million viewers each month, the network consists of 10 distinctive channel brands – Watch, G.O.L.D., Dave, Alibi, Yesterday, Blighty, Eden, Home, Really and Good Food  – offering a broad range of quality programming across entertainment, lifestyle and factual programming.  All UKTV channels are distributed on Sky and Virgin Media. Dave and Yesterday are also available on Freeview.

www.thinkbox.tv
www.uktv.co.uk

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Press contact: Simon Tunstill at Thinkbox | simon.tunstill@thinkbox.tv | 020 7630 2326

About Thinkbox
Thinkbox is the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, in all its forms. Its shareholders are Channel 4, Five, GMTV, ITV, Sky Media and Turner Media Innovations, who together represent over 90% of commercial TV advertising revenue through their owned and partner TV channels. Thinkbox works with the marketing community with a single ambition: to help advertisers get the best out of today’s TV.

TV today has more to offer advertisers than ever before, not least because this growing medium remains at the heart of popular culture and advertising effectiveness. From understanding how audiences engage with TV advertising, explaining innovative and affordable solutions, to providing the rigorous proof of effectiveness that advertisers need, Thinkbox is here to help customers meet their marketing objectives.