[HCDX] Virgin Radio station to launch in Middle East

["Alokesh" <alokeshgupta@xxxxxxxxx>]

Virgin Radio station to launch in Middle East

John Plunkett
Tuesday September 11, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk
Richard Branson is to launch Virgin Radio in Dubai in a deal with the Arab
Media Group.
Mr Branson's Virgin group will help oversee programming, marketing and
promotions on the English music station, which will be called Virgin Radio
Dubai.
It joins a number of other overseas Virgin Radio stations in Italy, France,
Thailand and India.
Mr Branson said he was exploring opportunities to establish the network in
other parts of the Middle East.
"Virgin Radio is experiencing phenomenal growth at the moment, having
announced launches in Italy, France and now Dubai in the last two months
alone," he said.
"I have no doubt that we'll be launching many more stations over the coming
years."
The station will launch towards the end of this year and will broadcast over
the Arabian Radio Network, a subsidiary of the Arab Media Group, from
studios in Dubai.
Mr Branson no longer has a stake in Virgin Radio in the UK but licenses the
Virgin brand to its parent company, SMG.
The station is being lined up for a float later this year, although the
defection of the Virgin Radio chief executive, Paul Jackson, to GCap Media
late last month could delay the process.
Under the terms of the licence, Mr Branson can veto any sale to a UK
competitor of his Virgin group.
Abdul Latif Al Sayegh, the chief executive of Arab Media Group, said: "We
have a vision of filling the many niches that have been left unaddressed in
popular media up to this point, and through better understanding and
knowledge of our audience we will keep delivering.
"Virgin Radio is a major step towards achieving this vision."

http://media.guardian.co.uk/radio/story/0,,2166714,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=4

--------------------------------------
Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi, India.

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