Five considers switching to pay-TV

Five is understood to be considering shifting its entire channel portfolio into the pay-TV market.

The potential survival strategy is only one option open to Five, but would include moving Five, Fiver and Five US to pay, according to reports.

Speaking at the recent RTS Conference in Cambridge, Five’s chief Dawn Airey said: “We are looking to consolidate or potentially go pay.  We won’t be able to be the same as we are now in terms of structure, in terms of platforms we are on, and in terms of partnerships we have … it will change – and I suspect it will change quite quickly.”

Another option would be introducing paid-for VoD services by using a platform such as Project Canvas to charge consumers directly for content.

However, if Five did move to pay, it would have to renegotiate deals for acquired programmes.

Gerhard Zeiler, chief executive of Five’s owner RTL Group, recently said: “If the advertising industry doesn’t pay every single bill anymore, then the consumer – directly or indirectly – will have to step up.”

However, the broadcaster hasn’t confirmed plans to move into the pay market as yet.