UTV gets global radio rights to Premier League

TalkSport's owner UTV Media has grabbed the global radio rights to English Premier League football outside Europe. UTV will provide commentary and audio on 380 Barclays Premier League games a season, in languages including English, Spanish and Mandarin.

The group will also provide coverage via the internet and audio apps. TalkSport, which already broadcasts 64 Premier League games in the UK, is hoping to establish a network of commercial partners in Asia and Africa where English football clubs have a huge following.

Its parent company UTV Media said the international coverage will make a loss of £1m in the first year but should break even by the second year and turn a profit after that.

UTV, which also runs the ITV franchise in Northern Ireland, bought talkSport in 2005 and has been increasingly focused on radio rather than TV.