ITV Rebrands As ITV1

The ITV network is to rebrand as ITV1 later this year to reflect the extended family of brands created by the integration of digital terrestrial platform, ONdigital.

Announcing the rebranding strategy ITV chief executive, Stuart Prebble, also confirmed that from 11 July ONdigital will become ITV Digital and ONnet the internet TV service will become ITV Active.

ITV.com, which will bring together a range of programming related websites and online services, will also launch later this year as part of the strategy to create an integrated free-to-air pay-TV and internet platform.

Stuart Prebble said: “With the continued growth of multi-channel television, the time is right for the ITV brand to develop so that the full range of services we can offer can be promoted under a consistent identity. In one simple step the change to ITV1 for the network will convey that ITV is now a family of brands.”

Entertainment channel ITV2 will sit alongside ITV1 with the ITV Sport Channel launching on 11 August. ITV Digital managing director, Rob Fyfe said: “Our customers will benefit both from this new relationship with Britain’s favourite television channel and from the launch of new services. ITV Digital will continue to offer outstanding customer service and value for money and will still be the simplest way to get digital TV.”

ITV’s renewed promotional effort for ONdigital comes just a week after shareholders called for the troubled digital terrestrial platform to be scrapped (see Granada Pressured To Close ONdigital).

ITV: 020 7843 8222 www.itv.co.uk

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