Granada’s ISP And Portal To Close Down On Wednesday

Granada Media is to close down its web portal and internet service provider G-Wizz on Wednesday this week, after failing to replicate its success in pulling the crowds on TV in the online arena, despite heavy marketing investment.

The company is advising those who use its internet provision services to subscribe to BT Internet and those who wish to access sites for programmes such as Popstars and Coronation Street to use the individual addresses.

It was originally planned that the portal, which launched in 1999 (see Granada Launches G-Wizz) would form the focus for Granada’s provision of TV internet services in a £13.5m alliance with PowerChannel Europe (see Granada Media To Provide Net Access Through TV Sets). Having missed the planned launch date of July last year, it is now thought that the plans are unlikely to come to fruition.

The demise of G-Wizz was first hinted at in January this year, when it was said that Carlton and Granada were to merge their internet assets in order to establish a unified approach to pushing the ITV brand online (see Granada And Carlton To Unite Online Assets).

Granada Media: 020 7620 1620 www.granada.co.uk www.g-wizz.net

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