UTV/SMG merger talk to the fore?

WHAT chance talk of a possible merger between the owners of stv and their counterparts in Ulster at some point today?

As the SMG share price hovers around the 40p mark – and there having recently been formal merger talks between SMG and UTV – the chat should be interesting when the golf societies of stv and UTV play their annual match, today and tomorrow.

The competition between the two stations has been going since 1963.

Since 1974, they have even played for a trophy – donated by former stv managing director, Bill Brown.

Spookily, it’s called the Link Trophy.

The match takes place in North Berwick today and Edinburgh tomorrow and playing will be many former SMG staff, as well as current employees.

But Spike understands it will not be featuring the chief executives of either company.

But that won’t prevent tongues wagging…