ITV Play To Broaden Broadcaster’s Revenue Streams
ITV has announced the launch of ITV Play, the broadcaster’s latest digital channel promising to provide viewers with ‘participation TV’ built on existing call-TV formats such as Quizmania and Play Sudoku.
The new channel will launch on Freeview on 19 April, and all other platforms later in the year. ITV Play branded programming will also air overnight on ITV1 and ITV2 from 31 March.
The participation TV genre is growing fast, according to ITV, which now hopes to “lead the market with higher quality programmes, higher production values and higher and more regular prizes.”
William van Rest will become controller of the new channel, having helped to establish the sector in his previous role with Optimistic Entertainment.
The first programming to screen on the new channel will be The Mint, described by the broadcaster as a “high-energy late-night compendium of live participation studio games, call games, puzzles, stunts and events hosted by Brian Dowling.”
ITV will also leverage is existing brands into the new channel, with Coronation Street themed quizzes amongst the first cross-promotions, featuring cash prizes and star appearances from cast members.
Interactive elements will also be woven into the new channel’s offering, with a broadband portal through ITV.com and exposure through the ITV Mobile portal currently in development.
Explaining the broadcaster’s new direction, Charles Allen, chief executive of ITV, said: “We believe that ITV Play has enormous potential to lead the market for participation TV with higher production values, better programmes and bigger prizes. The Play brand will sit alongside ITV’s existing family of channels as the place to find exciting, honest and entertaining original interactive programmes.”
Jeff Henry, head of ITV’s consumer team added: “With the success we’ve already from existing formats on ITV1 and ITV2, we feel confident that these programmes will prove extremely popular with our mass-market audiences.
“ITV Play is another valuable addition to our growing portfolio of businesses which have a direct relationship with the consumer. As with our mobile and broadband initiatives we are responding to consumer demand with new and innovative products.”
The move follows a pledge by ITV last year to extend its revenue streams beyond spot advertising, embracing new technologies to provide compelling content on a number of innovative platforms (see BBC Reality Cuts Leave Door Open For ITV).
ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com