DMS secures deals with Rapture and Bubble Hits

Rapture has parted ways with its previous sales partner, Optimal Media Sales, after delivering disappointing advertising revenues since its relaunch in November.

Optimal won a six-month contract to handle the channel, which has since struggled to attract TV audiences since its return on the Sky Digital platform, four years after being closed down by United Business Media.

The move to rival DMS comes with Rapture claiming to attract some 10,000 users a month and growing via its online streaming of content. It says it is the first broadcaster in the UK to launch 24-hour simulcasting of its content, including films, dance and R&B music, computer gaming and Japanese anime programming, in April.

David Henry, MD of Power TV, which revived the Rapture brand, said it hoped to achieve bigger advertising revenue by joining up with DMS's larger stable of channels and would continue to launch new online channels.

Another factor in Rapture's switch is the recent launch by DMS of a broadband sales division.

The contract win with new music channel, Bubble Hits, which launched on Sky last week as a sponsorship-only channel, with no other advertising.

DMS channels director Dominic Matterson said: "Rapture is an established brand with a strong heritage and a discerning audience, which considerably enhances the DMS sales offering. Bubble TV can address the short attention spans of music station viewers by offering commercial-free TV and delivering brilliant standout for sponsors."

This article was first published on Media Week