New Service Launch
Eckoh Technologies PLC
29 May 2003
29 May 2003
Eckoh Technologies plc
Eckoh Technologies to re-launch L!VE TV on Sky Digital
Eckoh Technologies plc, one of Europe's leading speech application service
providers, is to participate in the re-launch of L!VE TV on Sky this summer in
partnership with L!VE TV Library Sales, which is operated by Mark Cullen and
Mark Murphy who were previously Managing Director and Director of Programmes at
L!VE TV.
L!VE TV will be broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will bring back
to the screen hit programmes such as The Weather in Norwegian, Lie Dectector,
Agony and Canary Wharf from the L!VE TV Library archives, as well as developing
exciting new programme formats.
Prior to Eckoh's LSE listing, L!VE TV, which came off air in 1999 was the most
successful advertising vehicle for their "own-brand" IVR services, driving £2m
of annualised turnover. Through this new agreement Eckoh will be the exclusive
provider of all editorial and advertised telephone and SMS based services to the
channel.
Eckoh's IVR division currently provide a wide range of services to clients such
as Granada, Chrysalis, EMAP and Cartoon Network. L!VE TV is perceived as both an
opportunity to drive revenue growth for the division, as well as create new
innovative products that can be distributed to other clients.
Paul Scott, Managing Director of Eckoh Technologies IVR division said, "L!VE TV
was historically a fantastic route to market for us and this agreement enables
us to re-create that vehicle but without the cost base of a typical digital TV
channel. The digital universe has grown significantly since the channel was last
on-air1 so there will be a whole new generation of viewers to attract as well as
the people who already know and love L!VE."
Mark Murphy of L!VE TV Library Sales said "L!VE TV was one of the most popular
channels on UK cable at its peak2 and was well-known for its tabloid-style
programmes. We know that the British public have a real interest in this type
of television and we think this interest has grown since L!VE TV went off air,
so we expect to quickly gain the attention of viewers and become a firm
favourite on the Sky platform."
For further enquiries, please contact
Eckoh Technologies plc
Kirsten Nevile Tel: 01442 458 315
L!VE TV
Michelle Gordon Tel: 020 7820 4488
Buchanan Communications
Jeremy Garcia/Fergus Mellon Tel: 020 7466 5000
Notes to Editors:
About L!VE TV
• There are 6.6 million subscribers to the Sky Digital platform and almost 1
million homes receiving free to air satellite services.
• At its peak, around 31% of adults in cabled homes tuned into L!VE TV on a
weekly basis. This ranked the channel 4th vying for top slot behind Sky
One, VH1 and UK Gold. On a regular basis Live TV had the following viewing
numbers:
• 651,000 viewers per day
• 2,348,000 viewers per week
• 4,170,000 viewers per month
(BARB 1999)
About Eckoh Technologies
Eckoh Technologies plc provides a complete managed service for large
corporations and organisations using Advanced IVR (interactive voice response)
and Speech Recognition technologies. It has secured contracts to supply hosted
services to clients including Virgin Mobile, Centrica, William Hill and the
RNIB, and owns the largest speech-enabled call-processing platform in Europe.
In January 2003, Eckoh began an exclusive alliance with BT to provide hosted
solutions to BT's corporate client base over the next 2 years. This landmark
contract positions Eckoh as the European leader in the hosted speech solutions
market. Eckoh also operates the following businesses:
IVR - Eckoh is one of the largest providers of managed IVR services in the UK to
media clients including Granada, Channel 4, Chrysalis, EMAP, Johnston Press and
Cartoon Network, with the capacity to process over 250,000 calls per hour
Network Services - under the "Symphony Telecom" brand, Eckoh supplies fixed line
and mobile telephony services to over 6,000 businesses in the UK and Ireland
Mobile Wholesale - under the "Phones Express" brand, Eckoh supplies mobile
telephone handsets and airtime packages to consumers promoted via marketing in
print and through home shopping channels such as 'Phoneworld' which can be seen
on Sky Digital. Phones Express is one of the largest independent distributors in
the UK
In the year to 31 March 2003, Eckoh generated turnover of £55.1m.
To hear a demonstration of Eckoh Technologies' speech recognition product range,
please dial 08701 100 600. Further information can be found at www.eckoh.com or
contact us by dialling 08701 100
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange