Editing UBM plc (section)

===Television interests===
MAI was part of a consortium that bid for the ITV south and south east area, which formed [[ITV Meridian|Meridian Broadcasting]] in 1991.  MAI began to expand following the successful launch of Meridian: in 1994 the company bought [[ITV Anglia|Anglia Television]], the ITV franchise for the east of England,<ref name="Independent Anglia buyout">{{cite news|last=John|first=Murray|title=Heseltine clears way for Anglia TV bid|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/heseltine-clears-way-for-anglia-tv-bid-1395076.html|access-date=27 March 2012|location=London|newspaper=The Independent|date=19 February 1994|archive-date=22 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422034220/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/heseltine-clears-way-for-anglia-tv-bid-1395076.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the following year became a major shareholder in the consortium that won the franchise for [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]].<ref name="Ofcom ITV timeline">{{cite web|title=Key dates in the history of commercial TV|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/itc/uk_television_sector/overview/key_dates.asp.html|work=An Overview of Television in the UK|publisher=Ofcom|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref> In 1996, MAI merged with United Newspapers (via an [[Mergers and acquisitions|agreed takeover]] by United) to form '''United News & Media (UNM)'''. The resulting company owned the ''[[Daily Express]]'' newspaper, Meridian, Anglia, and a large shareholding (through the ''[[Yorkshire Post]]'') in [[Yorkshire Tyne Tees Television]], the owners of [[Yorkshire Television]] and [[Tyne Tees Television]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/27568&EDATE= |title=PRNewsWire |publisher=PRNewsWire |access-date=27 January 2011}}</ref> The stake in Yorkshire Tyne Tees Television was sold to [[Granada PLC|Granada]], allowing them to take control of the two franchises in 1997. In November 1997 UBM also launched the now defunct satellite TV Channel [[Rapture TV]] which focussed on dance music and extreme sports. The channel was put up for sale in 2001, and was eventually brought by Edinburgh-based company Power TV a year later, in April 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/82508/rapture_sky_final.pdf|title=Determination to resolve a dispute between Rapture Television plc and British Sky Broadcasting Ltd about EPG listing charges|page=7|publisher=Ofcom|access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref>

United News and Media later agreed to buy [[Scottish Television]]'s 20% stake in [[ITV Wales & West|HTV]]<ref name="Independent HTV stake">{{cite news|last=Mathew|first=Horsman|title=Hollick secures a stake in HTV as fight for franchises hots up|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hollick-secures-a-stake-in-htv-as-fight-for-franchises-hots-up-1359962.html|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=The Independent|date=25 October 1996|archive-date=22 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422034057/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hollick-secures-a-stake-in-htv-as-fight-for-franchises-hots-up-1359962.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and on 28 June 1997, HTV was taken over fully by UNM for £370 million.<ref name="Independent HTV takeover">{{cite news|last=Newman|first=Cathy|title=HTV succumbs to United News in pounds 370m takeover bid|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/htv-succumbs-to-united-news-in-pounds-370m-takeover-bid-1258407.html|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=The Independent|date=28 June 1997|archive-date=22 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422034745/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/htv-succumbs-to-united-news-in-pounds-370m-takeover-bid-1258407.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1999, plans emerged of a merger between UNM and rival [[Carlton Communications|Carlton]],<ref name="Telegraph timeline">{{cite news|title=ITV: 20 years of ups and downs|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/8136696/ITV-20-years-of-ups-and-downs.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/8136696/ITV-20-years-of-ups-and-downs.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=16 November 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> however these talks failed when it appeared that Meridian would have to be sold off as a condition of the deal.<ref>{{cite news|last=Billings|first=Claire|title=United and Carlton call off merger|url=http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/129464/United-Carlton-call-off-merger/|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=Media Week|date=21 July 2000}}</ref><ref name="Guardian timeline">{{cite news|title=Timeline: ITV 1955-today|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/oct/07/citynews.ITV|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=Media Guardian|date=7 October 2003}}</ref> As a result, the television assets of UNM were sold to [[Granada PLC|Granada]], however due to regulations stating that the company could not control that large an audience share, the broadcasting arm of HTV was sold to Carlton in exchange for Central's 20% stake in Meridian.<ref name="Guardian timeline"/><ref name="BBC News UNM sale">{{cite news|title=United News sharpens focus|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/865609.stm|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=4 August 2000}}</ref><ref name="ITV plc History">{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.itvplc.com/about/history|publisher=ITV plc|access-date=27 March 2012|archive-date=19 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319194544/http://www.itvplc.com/about/history|url-status=dead}}</ref>