The Stage

Full redundancy at Oneword due to USI Holdings’ exit

Published Tuesday 20 January 2004 at 14:45 by Joanna Taylor

Arts radio station Oneword has been forced to make all permanent members of staff redundant after co-parent company USI Holdings decided to withdraw its backing from the digital service.

Six full-time staff have lost their jobs at the broadcaster, which airs a mixture of plays, backstage interviews and book readings via a digital radio set, the internet, Freeview or Sky Channel 877.

UBC Media, which owns the other 50%, is now in negotiation to acquire USI’s share but has said the future of Oneword will depend on a major restructuring of the broadcaster.

The company is said to have run into trouble after competition from the BBC’s spoken word digital station BBC7 led to difficult market conditions.

Oneword, which began broadcasting two years ago, has won Sony Digital Station of the Year in both of its first two years. A combination of pre-recorded output and freelances will allow the station to stay on air until its future is determined.

Editorial director of UBC and Oneword chairman Tim Blackmore said the business needs to be restructured to deliver a profit but added that UBC is still committed to the service.