ITV is still resisting pressure to join negotiations with BSkyB to be carried by its digital satellite service.
The most recent development in the digital TV war involved Channel Four announcing deals with both BSkyB and On Digital (previously British Digital Broadcasting) to have both its current analogue output and a new Film Four digital channel carried by each service (see Newsline).
Channel Four managing director, David Scott, commented: “The deals we have concluded fulfill our strategy of offering Film Four to as many viewers as possible. They make sense for the many people who we believe will want to subscribe to the channel, irrespective of the technology by which they choose to receive it.”
There has been much debate recently about ITV’s programmes being carried by BSkyB (see Newsline). On Digital, which is BSkyB’s major competitor in the digital TV stakes, is owned by Granada and Carlton, the two largest ITV companies. In addition to this ITV is planning to launch its own digital terrestrial service, ITV2, later this year. Both of these factors could be influential in explaining ITV’s reluctance to join the BSkyB digital service.
However, Andrew Chowns, project director of ITV2, says that ITV’s position has not changed and that it has no intention of joining Sky’s satellite services. Reports earlier in the month suggested that Sky was negotiating with the ITV franchise companies individually in order to bypass the block imposed by Carlton and Granada. Although neither Sky nor ITV would confirm this, Chowns says that it would be very impracticable as all ITV-produced programmes are owned by the ITV Network as a whole and not be the regional franchises.
Earlier this year the Independent Television Commission (ITC) examined the legal position on whether ITV had an obligation to have its services carried on Sky Digital (see Newsline). Its current position, according to an ITC spokesperson, is that, “there is no real reason to compel ITV to go on digital at this stage. When digital becomes universal, the position may be different.”
As speculation continues, ITV’s plans to launch ITV2 are going well according to Chowns, who claims the service is on line for launch later this year. Programme commissions for the service are to be announced shortly, possibly later this week.
ITV: 0171 843 8000 British Digital Broadcasting: 0171 819 8000 BSkyB: 0171 705 3000
