Company Profile

YooMedia plc is one of the fastest growing interactive entertainment companies in the UK.
Since 1997 we have been developing and launching leading B2C consumer brands in the gaming and community sectors. We also work in a B2B capacity with leading brand owners, agencies, content developers and broadcasters to design and develop their interactive content strategies.

Led by Executive Chairman Dr. Michael Sinclair and Group Managing Director Neil MacDonald, YooMedia has assembled a highly experienced management team that possesses a unique blend of skills and experience in the areas of Digital TV, Internet and mobile phone services and technology.

With main office locations in London, Exeter and Maidstone, YooMedia manages core assets including:

Over 30 office locations throughout the UK alone

State-of-the-art studio, production and post-production facilities at our Wapping location.

UK broadcast return path & bandwidth owner

Fully fledged UK Bookmaker License

Database with over 350K UK singles

SMS Engine access with international reach

Fully staffed 50 seat Customer Contact Centre in Maidstone, Kent

YooMedia Dating & Chat - Our dating subsidiary company manages the oldest and largest UK-owned dating brands including Dateline, Club Sirius and Avenues. YooMedia Dating has over 20 office locations throughout the UK and also manages YooChat, our world-leading interactive chat service found on UK digital cable on the Telewest platform (platform extensions planned for 2005).

YooMedia Gambling & Games - Combining the brands of Avago and Channel 425 (in partnership with William Hill) YooMedia is on the leading-edge of interactive fixed odds, casino and poker gambling services for digital TV, the web and 3G mobile phones. Our gaming business also manages YooPlay, the only interactive just for fun games channel found on all four Digital TV platforms in the United Kingdom.

YooMedia Enhanced Solutions (YES) - YES works with brand owners, agencies, content owners and broadcasters to clarify the options, define the strategies and deliver the interactive content that enhances consumer and audience experiences. YES customers include the BBC, Nestle, Celador, William Hill, Channel 4, ZipTV, The Cartoon Network and HR Owen.

EWROBSON WROTE:

"Why shouldn't my money be working merrily for me elsewhere between now and March then I can come back and buy a few CFDs in YOO and share the next phase of the action. Can't stand the idea of my money festering for four whole months! Can't fault the argument myself!"


This is the trouble with trading. In my experience, the stock market oftens behaves in the way you least expect. If I had sold at 18p yesterday, I would now be feeling slightly edgy. What if more directors have purchased shares? How do explain the numerous T trades today? Why were there 3 noticable, MM to MM trades, suggesting EVO wanted stock badly? Why did EVO want stock today?

If you intend selling, because you beleive the SP is overvalued NOW, then by all means, sell up and move on. It's your money after all. However, if you consider Yoomedia will ONE DAY achieve a market cap of 200m+, then attempting to second guess the short term SP movement, is just as likely to work against you, than for you.

What happens if what you buy go's down and the share you have sold rises? This has happened to me before and it's a double blow. Then there's the stamp duty! But if you feel the SP is permanentely overvalued then get out. Up to you!

I agree with you iPublic. I set out to buy short term high risk shares like Yoo, make a profit and move on. However, after a while I realised that I was missing opportunities far greater with some companies by selling. I still look for short term gains but some companies like PDX, YOO, SEO, NOP, KMR etc are staying in my portfolio cos' these have huge potential to become a huge success and at least ten baggers, from the time I have bought them. I don't want to miss out and if it means sitting on them and making nothing for a while so be it. How many of you had sold PDX and missed out on the recent news? How many will sell out of YOO and miss out too?? It won't be me, I've seen this as an opportunity and bought more YOO as I did with all the others above. At the moment only YOO is down the others are mega profitable.YOO will have it's day and it is not far away.

iPublic, dynamite

Thanks for that. Will help the second thoughts process! Other inputs?

Eric

Digital Interactive TV Group (DITG) has ordered its second Pharos Playtime presentation playout system. Based at Wapping in London's Docklands, DITG produces its own programme content and provides technical resources plus a wide range of transmission services for third-party broadcasters. DITG acquired its first Pharos Playtime plus a Pharos Mediator media library management system when it took over The Money Channel's premises and facilities in 2001. DITG soon ordered expansions to the Playtime installation, taking it from a dual-channel to a four-channel system.

The new investment expands DITG's transmission playout capacity to six channels of Playtime, all accessing the original Mediator archive database. Four Pharos workstations have been installed, with playlists, off-line scheduling, databases, hardware panels and Pharos Control Platform (PCP) interfaces.

Traditional broadcast control systems rely on a playlist of video events as their main timing reference. Pharos Playtime uses a package with independent tracks for each event sequence. Each track is displayed on the Playtime control screen as a separate timeline, typically representing main video, backup video, discrete voice-over languages, GPIs, mix/effects, logo and subtitles.
Playtime enables individual schedulers to create dynamic and exciting presentation effects that could otherwise only be achieved using extensive post-production facilities.

DITG (www.ditg.tv) is managed by Neil MacDonald, an interactive industry veteran with over 10 years' experience of developing and launching interactive services via satellite, the internet and mobile telephone. DITG's own channels include Avago (the world's first live interactive TV gaming channel), launched in July 2002. DITG's gaming company The Television Gaming Group (TGG) operates Avago as well as iSports TV and provides interactive TV gaming and betting services for many other operators. It recently signed an agreement to broadcast a branded interactive television channel for William Hill plc on the Sky digital platform from late 2004.

Zone4Play has announced that, with the help of Avago, it has launch of its play-for-real fixed-odds casino platform on Hutchinson 3G. Hutchinson 3G is the UKs first video mobile network and the new casino games, Avago branded, are among the first mobile fixed-odds services in the UK. They will also be available in a play for fun format. Zone4Play says it has been working with, DITG Gaming, Avagos parent company, to perfect and expand the casino application.

Idan Miller VP Marketing and Sales at Zone4Play, commented, 'We are excited to see our fixed-odds games leap to life on Hutchison 3G Mobile service, the first UK mobile operator to offer fixed-odds games, through our partnership with DITG. This new deployment strengthens our position in the market as the number one technology provider for iTV and Mobile betting services.'


Damian Cope, Managing Director, DITG Gaming, said: 'We are delighted to be launching this service on 3 in conjunction with Zone4Play, and are convinced that mobile gambling revenues will grow strongly over the next few years. We are confident that both existing and future Avago customers will enjoy the ability to play games via their mobile handsets

EW ROBSON

Today's rise, confirms my post yesterday evening. Can you really afford to be out of this gem? Look at the two articles above.

Yoo are reiterated as a strong buy in the shares mag today, saying Yoo are could be the next 'Microsoft' of interactive television'

The 'bigger picture' is the board and EVO really need the price over 25p, to get the merger through the EGM and that is where we are going.

I.M.H.O.

Doctors booked on the telly: Yorkshire GPs go it alone

People in South Yorkshire can now book doctors' appointments through their digital TV sets. The scheme, launched by a supplier of IT systems for GPs, steals a march on the pounds 6bn National Programme for IT, which is embroiled in controversy over its own e-booking system.

The South Yorkshire system works through the interactive TV service e@sy Connects, which is available to subscribers of Sky, Telewest or NTL digital TV. EMIS, the company behind the trial, says that more than 10,000 households in the area have suitable sets. It is piloting the system at two surgeries in Barnsley.

EMIS supplies systems to more than half the GPs in England, but has been unable to agree terms to work with the new national programme.

David Stables, the company's clinical director, described TV booking as "a very important breakthrough for hard-pressed surgery staff - because it frees up their time and saves practices money." Missed appoint-ments costs the NHS an estimated pounds 162m per year.

Limited trials of the national e-booking service, which allows GPs to book patients with consultants, have begun in London. However, the British Medical Association last month advised doctors against using the system because of fears about confidentiality of data.

Copyright 2004 The Guardian.

having got over my initial rantings and thrown my toys out of my pram , I have come back to the facts that the reasons I saw YOO as such a huge potential ( i thought the next biggy since SPS)are still intact and greater. So whilst wiping the pie ( of the humble variety)from my face I have bought YOO again.Maybe with hindsight there requirement to raise the money to be able to accelerate the business growth forced their actions.

Eric, you wanna be careful. They'll get sick of you at Shares magazine!!
Good letter.

Thanks, Beasties. My letter and reply as follows

"You recently included YOO as a Play of the Week. The argument was strong for a company with a leadership position in the emerging interactive digital TV marketplace. Since then the shares have been off the market for two and a half weeks, justified on the basis that a reverse takeover was being negotiated. The shares were 23.5p when suspended and closed on Friday at 19.5p. Subject to approval at an EGM on 21st December, the total of issued shares is to be increased from 163 million approximately to 450 million approximately of which 167 million have been provisionally placed, I understand, by evolution at 15p.

The Directors and institutional shareholders will, no doubt, have participated in the placing and will have had the opportunity therefore to maintain their % holding in the company. But not the ordinary shareholder! He or she finds his shareholding diluted by something like 64%. The value of the holding is diminished overnight. The EGM is a foregone conclusion with 42% of the votes already in the bag. It should be illegal and is certainly immoral! Why not a proper rights issue? Against the likely argument that speed was of the essence, the issue could still have been underwritten and the funds available as required. Please publicise the specific situation and raise the moral questions and the need for legal action."

Eric Robson via e-mail

Timon Day replies: "The slump in Yoomedia (YOO) has indeed disappointed as the shares shot up a third after being tipped at 20.5p on 7 October before crumbling to 17p.
But don't be too hard on the company. The deal is a cracker, establishing it as the dominant force in interactive digital TV with strong gambling and dating content.
You are not the only shareholder diluted. Executive chairman Michael Sinclair and fellow directors were also diluted.
Nothing illegal has occurred. Immoral maybe, as you didn't get a chance to buy at 15p.
I suggest averaging down at 17p because if I'm right the shares will recover sharply before too long as profits will start rocketing rapidly in 2006 onwards.
The company said a rights issue would have been much more expensive and taken much longer. Take consolation from the fact that well-known institutions like Cazenove, Scottish Widows, Artemis, and Invesco have become shareholders. (See Plays of the Week updates, p.8)."

I think Timon Day has been reading this column as he pictures YOO "as the Microsoft of digital TV". New points here are that the Directors did not benefit from the placing and the list of institutions. Play Update gives forecast of profits of 2.5M in 2005 and 6M in 2006. I assume these are from Evolution. That's a prospective PE of 20 in 2006 at 24p.

OK, time for humble pie! Having been preening with pride after second letter in Shares in a month (after PET), I have to admit that I 'did a Willfagg' and sold out, responding to 'her as has to be obeyed' wanting funds for Christmas trip to Whistler, buying some back this morning at 21p. Oh no! the final indignity, I feel a cfd purchase coming on for tomorrow!

Eric

EWROBSON

What did you sell for before buying back? This is the trouble! If you sold, why are you back now?

iPublic

18p! Sold before our dialogue - threw the teddy bear out of the pram in a rage! As I stated earlier, couldn't see the cap. past 100M in the short to medium term. Second thoughts from your's and mac's input plus Shares. Not losing sleep over it! I think I've lost more money over YOO in the last 18 months than any other share (oh! except perhaps earthport - another Shares Play). But its better the 'devil you know'. Just been talking with johngtudor over on the ASC channel on investment styles. Overall, I am 100% up since Jan 2003 but I am taking stock of the number of poor decisions, particularly with the ease of on-line trading. John admits to being an out and out chartist and makes rules-based decisions; that is his style. I am a fundamentals man and make intuitive decisions. But I accept the need to balance out with the chartist perspective. Can develop the theme if you like. The value of these BBs is in accelerating the learning procss as well as supporting research into particular shares. Can see the YOO wood again instead of just the short-term thicket: so a bit poorer, but a bit wiser!

Eric

Done it myself in the summer. What I sold went up, what I bought went down. Lost a packet.

If its seasonal, how come its still happenning to me????????

December to March is normally peak, bull run time for techs. Pick three strong favourites, stick your shirt on them and have a Happy Christmas!

I feel like I am married to YOO media! All my little eggs are in this basket and now feel slightly bemused and bedazzled by recent events. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights I am unable to buy anymore or sell and just have to keep my fingers crossed that next year will be spectacular.

I did well in 2003 - have done really appallingly badly in 2004 - lost several shirts and am getting ever closer to my nom-de-plume! However I am at least relieved that the bloody things are no longer suspended - with the risk that ALL may be lost!

As marriages go, these days it seems, I don't think YOO and I will see our golden wedding anniversary - but we may have some decent parties in our time.

The only real lesson that I could pass on to anyone thinking about buying any shares in any company is DON'T DO IT! I am a sad and lost case myself. The ASOS experience happens once in about 40 purchases and therefore isn't worth all the trauma of the ones that head south!

Merry Christmas.

Hey, guys, I am glad I bared my soul and confessed my sins publicly! I find that I not alone in the desert! I liked dynamite's post (329). The conventional wisdom is to spread the risk over 10 to 20 shares - that way, you never get to know the shares well enough; even if you include a real winner then it doesn't have much effect. So my portfolio is simple: ASC heavily overweight, AZM, YOO (after a hiccough) and PET for a high risk play but with huge potential returns; plus a couple of minnows. The dedication of iPublic and mactavish to YOO is admirable and compares with mine for ASC; you get to the position that you know why the market is behaving as it is and you can probably second guess the next move. You may even, a point made by johngtudor on the ASC channel, buy and sell the share because you are anticipating the shape of the graph. So far, with YOO, I have been buying when I should have been selling and vice versa: I may just judge better during the next year (what was that about pig's flying?).

Eric

Thanks Eric.....I haven't forgotten last year when I sat on NOP for months with no movement, yet a trader friend of mine told me to have patience it would be a ten or twenty bagger, he bought at 2p. I bought at 4p and more along the way, ok so I have only doubled my money so far. I have learnt to have patience. That does not mean to say some shares I don't sell them and re buy, I do. PDX I have bought at 46p sold at 89, bought 89 and 116 sold 167, bought at 120 and currently sitting on them. I only sell when I don't think there will be any news for a quite a while. With PDX that is no longer the case as with YOO, too much is now at stake and good news could happen at any time. If I have any spare cash I will buy some more on dips and sit on it all like a queen on her throne. By the way I had Earthport too and I lost on Thus but never put all your eggs in too few baskets and you will live to invest another day. See you all at the Xmas bash next week if you are going, I have never met any of you. :-))

The behavior of the SP today, is EXACTLY why EVERYONE should consider voting NO to the merger.

NO, NO, NO!!!

Shareholders representing 4.65m shares have contacted me this week. Many of you have expressed grave concerns and are not happy with the actions of the management.

Please consider voting NO.

If ALL of you vote no, it may well make a difference.

If you hold your shares in a nominee account, you will need to contact your broker NOW, to secure a Proxy Voting Form. The forms MUST be returned by the 18th Dec.

Do not let APATHY spoil your right to control YOUR financial destiny.

NO, NO, NO.

Hold on iPublic!! Am I missing something here? Everything now points to the new deal being good for Yoo not the opposite. If this deal goes through Yoo are being hyped as"as the Microsoft of digital TV". New points here are that the Directors did not benefit from the placing and the list of institutions now holding shares has to be to our benefit. If this deal is going to help 'fast forward' Yoo to super profits should we put a spanner in the works even if we could? You may be sore about the current share price but that is only short term....Buy some more and average down is my advice imho.