Ten Alps

Ten Alps is a media production company that produces documentaries of factual materials mostly for TV, but also radio, internet and print. Although it is UK-based, much of its output is distributed world-wide. The origin of Ten Alps is Planet 24 and the merging with Brook Lapping (a documentary production company set up by Brian Lapping and Norma Percy).

Part of a trend

Two trends explain the emergence of media production companies in the UK: (1) the shedding of in-house production at the BBC (introduced by John Birt) and (2) the increasing competition in the UK TV market. Ten Alps is among the beneficiaries of these developments.

BBC sheds, others reap

As part of the restructuring of the BBC during the early 1990s BBC producers were given the flexibility of acquiring external (non-BBC) programs. This was sold as "producers' choice" and the consequences were dramatic. Most BBC producers saw this as a threat but also an opportunity. The threat was that in-house production would be progressively scaled down, and job security at the BBC would be undermined. Furthermore, in-house production costs would be slashed -- hence undermining the possibility of quality or innovative productions. The opportunity that arose was for independent companies to produce content for the BBC, and in response most of the BBC top producers set up their own production companies (while in many instances remaining at the BBC). Most of the initial content contracts were obtained by the former BBC producers through the informal in-house "old boy" network agreement. (Initially, opportunity to sell to the BBC was not accessible to non-former BBC producers). The BBC's restructuring created conditions for the emergence of dozens of companies. Although most of the companies are centered in London around the White City area (surrounding the BBC), several other companies have arisen in the other BBC broadcasting areas. These companies can be described as either commercial operations (companies set up for profit) or content production for political purposes (companies which aim to sell a specific message). While in the past the BBC retained editorial and quality control, the reliance on the outside producers has enabled producers to sell a message that otherwise would not have been broadcast. An example: Israeli interests bought into several production companies set up by former BBC producers, and this enabled them to market documentaries with an Israeli-slant.

Other shake-ups

While the BBC was shaken up, the remainder of the UK TV/media market also underwent major restructuring. The main media companies, ITV, Granada, etc. were suddenly subject of takeovers and inevitably this put pressure on managers to improve profits, thus reduce costs, which inevitably led to outsourcing of content acquisition. Again, developments in the TV media landscape in the UK gave rise to independent companies that could sell content to the remaining commercial broadcasters. Once again, Ten Alps is one of the players in this market.

Divisions/businesses

• Know Comment

Broadcast

• Brook Lapping
• Blakeway
• Ten Alps’ Brook Lapping is a 70% shareholder in the consortium that is behind Teachers TV.

Digital

• Public TV which offers 15 dedicated digital TV channels.
• won the contract to produce Kent TV for Kent County Council which went live in September 2007. *working closely with the Nobel Foundation and the Norwegian government on developing a Peace Channel.

Communications

• Recent acquisitions include Atalink, Mongoose and education & CSR specialists dbda. We also have two bespoke marketing agencies – RMA and MTD

Subsidiaries

The principal subsidiaries of the Group during the year to March 2007
Company name	Country of incorporation, registration and operation	Class of capital, % held	Description of activity
3BM TV Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100%	Direct Film Production
Atalink Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100%	Direct Contract Publishing
Blakeway Productions Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Direct	Film and Radio Production
Brook Lapping Productions*	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Indirect	Film and Radio Limited Production
Cameron Publishing Limited`	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Indirect	Contract Publishing
Education Digital Limited^	England & Wales	Ordinary 70% Indirect	Production of Education Films
HDTV Limited	England& Wales	Ordinary 100% Direct	Film and Radio Production
Know Comment+	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Indirect	Agency and Media Training
Ten Alps Live Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Direct	Event Organisers
Ten Alps MTD Limited	Scotland	Ordinary 100% Direct Preference 100% Direct	Advertising and Marketing Services
Ten Alps RMA Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Direct	Advertising and Marketing Services
Ten Alps Publishing Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Direct Preference 100% Direct	Contract Publishing
Ten Alps TV Limited	England & Wales	Ordinary 100% Direct	Film and Radio Production
Subsidiary of Brook Lapping Holdings Limited ^ Subsidiary of Brook Lapping Productions Limited + Subsidiary of Ten Alps TV Limited ~ Subsidiary of Ten Alps Publishing

Principals

Board of Directors

• Alex Connock – CEO and co-founder
• Bob Geldof – Co-founder & Non Executive Director
• Nitil Patel – Finance director
• Brian Walden – Non Executive Chairman
• Tim Hoare – Non Executive Director

Officers

• Alex Connock - Chief Executive, Ten Alps Plc
• Nitil Patel - Finance Director, Ten Alps Plc
• Adrian Dunleavy – Chief Executive, Ten Alps Communications
• Nigel Dacre - Managing Director, Ten Alps Digital
• Fiona Stourton - Editorial Director, Ten Alps Broadcast
• Tony Allen – Group Financial Controller, Ten Alps Plc
• Derek Morren - Finance Director, Ten Alps Communications

Contact

Ten Alps Plc Head Office

9 Savoy Street

London WC2E 7HR

Tel: 020 7878 2311

Fax: 020 7878 2483

Website: www.tenalps.com