UBC Media announces mobile app deals

Multimedia content firm UBC Media jumped after it announced details of two mobile app contracts.

The firm has created a suite of mobile applications for the Canadian NRJ and Virgin radio networks, which offer an on-demand music and video streaming service.

These new applications make owner Astral Radio the only radio broadcaster in Canada to offer such a service, it said.

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UBC will receive a share of the revenues from the sale of mobile advertising in the apps.

The company also said announced Absolute Radio would be the first to launch its mobile music game, developed as a 'white label' product, which can be customised to suit individual stations.

The game, branded as 'Rock Off', is a free interactive mobile gaming app which tasks listeners to be the fastest to identify a song from a short clip or intro allowing them to show-off their knowledge and love of music from some of the world's biggest acts.

Absolute Radio will market the game and share revenue from a 69p payment option through which users can buy additional decade-specific song bundles.

Chief Executive Simon Cole said the smarter players in the broadcast industry were now moving from simple streaming apps to mobile experiences which give listeners new and exciting ways to interact with stations.

"We are proud to be at the forefront of these developments with two global leaders in digital media and to open up new opportunities for shared advertising and in-game purchase revenues," he said.

Shares rose 16.7% following the announcement.

MM