ITV could charge viewers for digital channels

Archie Norman, the new chairman of ITV, is understood to be considering charging viewers for access to some of its digital TV channels.

According to reports, ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 could all be switched from Freeview to subscription-only.

If the channels did move to Sky and Virgin Media, ITV could benefit from carriage fees as well as advertising revenue.

Norman, who takes on the role in January, is also thought to want to shake up the ITV boardroom following its struggle to replace outgoing executive chairman Michael Grade.

The broadcaster recently revealed that total group revenue was down 11% to £1.3 billion in the nine months to the end of September.

Norman, who was named as incoming chairman last week , will be paid £300,000 a year and has been allocated 1.2 million ITV shares at current prices and will receive 400,000 of these each year for the next three years.