UBC Media Group

In 1989, Simon Cole and Tim Blackmore started the Unique Broadcasting Company, later known as UBC Media Group. The company began as a producer of radio and television content. It supplied programs to clients like the BBC and also provided software for digital radio services. UBC Media Group went through a phase of owning and selling radio stations, but its core strategy shifted to focus on content production and developing interactive software. In a significant strategic move in 2014, UBC Media, a public company, acquired the privately-owned digital music provider 7digital. This was a reverse takeover, which resulted in a new, larger entity called 7digital Group Plc, listed on the stock exchange. The merger was a bet on the convergence of radio and digital music, creating a platform that offered both curated radio-style content and on-demand music services for other businesses. This combined company focused on the business-to-business market, providing the technology backbone for other brands to launch their own music and radio experiences.