BBC, ITV And Channel 4 To Launch Joint On-Demand Service
BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 are joining together to launch an on-demand service from next year, with the working title of ‘Kangaroo’.
The UK service will carry a broad range of programming and will be a rich entertainment site where consumers can catch up on recently aired shows and watch old favourites.
The joint venture will be owned equally by the broadcasters and will work independently as an aggregator of both joint venture partners and third party content.
The service is also intended to encourage other quality content providers to join the service to further enhance the viewer experience.
The service, which is subject to formal approval from the BBC Trust and each broadcaster’s board, is intended to complement the BBC iPlayer, which will have content listed within the new service.
ITV.com will continue to feature a 30 day catch up facility alongside simulcasts of ITV1, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 and news, clips, stills, exclusive content and interactivity across and around ITV programming.
Channel 4’s website will host a catch-up service including accompanying comprehensive programme information and clips, whilst 4oD will evolve into the new service.
In a joint statement, the broadcasters said that the new service will be able to share the cost of the latest technology and enable rapid technological enhancements whilst building on the experience of 4OD, ITV.com and the BBC’s iPlayer.
Lesley MacKenzie has been appointed as launch CEO and is currently recruiting executives to lead the joint venture team. Previously Lesley was in India launching TataSky and prior to this was director of channels and operations at BSkyB.
Michael Grade, executive chairman of ITV, said: “This key strategic move is complementary to our investment in itv.com and further strengthens ITV’s customer proposition online. The joint service has the potential to become an important shop window for UK broadcaster content and a great destination for viewers.
“The deal is structured so that we each benefit from content being viewed, ensuring that there is significant revenue potential in the growth of the venture for all involved. The joint venture will play an important role, alongside itv.com, Friends Reunited and ITV Local, in delivering our online revenue targets as outlined by us in September.”
BBC Worldwide: www.bbcworldwide.com ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com