27th Nov 2007 09:30
ITV PLC27 November 2007 ITV plc - 27 November 2007 ITV Forms Joint Venture with BBC Worldwide and C4 to Launch On-Demand Service • New UK on-demand service - a single destination for over ten thousand hours of quality entertainment content • Historic joint venture between three of the UK's largest broadcasters • First time that viewers will have access to a large range of catch-up and archive programming • Venture will be a major competitor in UK on-demand content market BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 today announced the creation of a commercialthree-way joint venture to launch an on-demand content service in 2008 with theworking title of 'Kangaroo'. The service will bring together an excitingcollection of over ten thousand hours of the very best of the UK broadcasters'current and archive programming, with the convenience, simplicity and ease ofuse of one overarching service. These plans are subject to formal approval fromthe BBC Trust and each broadcaster's board. The UK service will carry a broad range of programming and will be a richentertainment site where consumers can catch up on recently aired shows andwatch old favourites. The joint venture will be owned equally and will workindependently as an aggregator of both joint venture partners and third partycontent and will encourage other quality content providers to join the serviceto further enhance the viewer experience. Initially the service will launch asa web based proposition and will be available for distribution on otherplatforms. Content will be available both streamed and downloaded and viewerswill be able to watch for free, rent or buy. A name and brand for the newservice will be unveiled before launch. The consumer proposition is built on the breadth and depth of programming thatwill be accessible in one place. This will be underpinned by each broadcaster'sextensive knowledge of programming, understanding of viewer behaviour andmarketing capabilities. The new venture will create a seamless viewer experienceand will be an attractive proposition for advertisers, content rights owners andchannel providers. By joining forces, the joint venture will access each broadcaster'sunderstanding and experience of providing on-demand content and will be animportant player in a new and developing market. It will compete in the rapidlyexpanding online content space, where it will compete against a large andgrowing range of TV, film and other audio-visual content. The new service willbe able to share the cost of the latest technology and enable rapidtechnological enhancements whilst building on the experience of 4OD, ITV.com andthe BBC's iPlayer. John Smith, Chief Executive Officer of BBC Worldwide said, "This is a historicpartnership between the UK's largest broadcasters. For some time we have wantedto form an alliance with other rights holders in the UK and give viewers anon-demand service with real added value. The new service will contain some ofthe very best of the UK's content for consumers to view in one place, which willbe both easy to use and great fun. By combining our joint resources we're reallytaking control of our destiny in a market that's moving at a fast pace." Michael Grade, Executive Chairman of ITV plc said, "This key strategic move iscomplementary to our investment in itv.com and further strengthens ITV'scustomer proposition online. The joint service has the potential to become animportant shop window for UK broadcaster content and a great destination forviewers. The deal is structured so that we each benefit from content beingviewed, ensuring that there is significant revenue potential in the growth ofthe venture for all involved. The joint venture will play an important role,alongside itv.com, Friends Reunited and ITV Local, in delivering our onlinerevenue targets as outlined by us in September." Andy Duncan, Channel 4 Chief Executive said, "TV on the internet is a rapidlygrowing medium as proven by the incredible success that Channel 4 has enjoyedwith its 4oD service. We want to continue to build and innovate in this area,giving viewers ultimate control over what they watch and when they watch it, andbelieve that partnering and sharing expertise is the best way of doing this. Webelieve this deal will lead to a major step change in the on-demand servicesoffered by UK broadcasters and is good news for independents and the creativecommunity, for advertisers and, above all, for viewers." The new service will complement BBC iPlayer, the free catch-up TV serviceoffering hundreds of programmes a week from the last seven days. BBC iPlayercontent will be listed within the new service. ITV.com will continue to featurea 30 day catch up facility alongside simulcasts of ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 anda wealth of news, clips, stills, exclusive content and interactivity across andaround ITV programming. Channel 4's website will host a catch-up serviceincluding accompanying comprehensive programme information and clips, whilst 4oDwill evolve into the new service. The joint venture has appointed Lesley MacKenzie as Launch CEO and is currentlyrecruiting top executives to lead the joint venture team. Previously Lesley wasin India launching TataSky and prior to this was Director of Channels andOperations at BSkyB. -ends- For further information: Esther Brown, BBC Worldwide,020 8433 2506, 07967 822 719 [email protected] Alison Jeremy, BBC Worldwide,020 8433 2719, 07736480228, [email protected] Hannah Bailey, ITV0844 881 8439 07940 716006 [email protected] Jim Godfrey, ITV0844 881 8434 07876396521 [email protected] Sarah Booth, Channel 40207 306 5395, [email protected] Notes to Editors About BBC Worldwide BBC Worldwide Limited is the commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of theBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the valueof the BBC's intellectual property and exploits content around the world onbehalf of rights holders. The company has six core businesses: Global Channels,Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production, Home Entertainment and DigitalMedia. In 2006/07, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £111 million on sales of£810 million. About ITV plc ITV plc is the UK's largest commercial broadcaster, with our family of channelswatched by more than 80% of the population every week. ITV has the most successful commercial family of channels in the UK. ITV1 is theUK's most popular channel in peak-time; ITV2 is the UK's biggest non-terrestrialchannel; ITV3 is the most popular non-terrestrial channel on Freeview; and ITV4had the most successful digital channel launch to date. ITV also owns CiTV, theleading commercial children's channel on Freeview, and Men & Motors. About Channel 4 Placing a premium on "innovation and experiment in the form and content" of itsprogramming, Channel 4 has been Britain's most cutting edge, controversial andcreative broadcaster of the last two decades. Channel 4 was established by Act of Parliament in 1982 and came on air inNovember of that year. It enjoys unique status as the world's only major publicservice broadcaster funded entirely by its own commercial activities, includingadvertising-funded digital TV channels E4, More4 and Film4. Channel 4 commissions all its programmes from third parties and has played theleading role in helping nurture and grow a vibrant community of independentproducers in the UK. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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