It is rumoured that both Channel 5 and ITV are pitching to win the rights to show an extensive portfolio of Disney Blockbusters. The package is believed to contain between 80 and 100 films including Con Air and 101 Dalmatians.
ITV who have already lost out to Channel 5 this year over a similar movie deal with Warner Bros worth $140 million are keen to recapture the initiative with regards to movie blockbusters. ITV have already agreed a separate deal with Disney to show films such as Die Hard With A Vengeance to the year 2000, and recently criticised Channel 5 over their deal with Warner, on the grounds that it is inflating the cost of terrestrial television movie deals.
Dawn Airey, director of programming at Channel 5 has made clear the direction the channel intends to follow; “it’s public knowledge that we’re heavily in the business of movies. We’re looking at the Disney catalogue”. Ms Airey said that the channel had a substanial acquisitions budget but if, as seems quite possible the cost of the film package exceeded the budget, shareholder approval would be needed to sanction the deal.
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