ONdigital Adds 15% To Subscriber Base, Reveals Details Of ONnet
ONdigital saw a 15% increase in its subscriber base in the three months to the end of June. The digital terrestrial television platform said today that it had 774,000 customers and was on target to reach one million by the end of the year.
The group, which is joint-owned by Granada and Carlton Communications, also revealed details of the launch of its internet service, ONnet. This autumn a unique net portal created by BBC Resources (see ONdigital Teams With BBC For Internet On TV) and with content layers provided by partners including Abbey National, Bigsave.com, BlueSq and Thomas Cook, will allow full internet access through television screens.
For advertisers this will mean full interactivity for their customers. An icon broadcast during programmes or ads will allow viewers to click straight through to the website of that programme or advertisement.
Stuart Prebble, CEO of the group, said: “In the first half of this year we have transformed ONdigital from being a multichannel TV company to one with an interactive platform packed with new media services…Now we will take interactivity to an entirely new level.”
“For the first time, people watching TV programmes or advertisements will be able to click straight through to supporting websites. This facility, which we call cross-linking, will transform the way people watch and interact with their TV’s. It unleashes the true potential of digital TV.”
Recent research has found that digital television platforms will drive the online revolution more than PC’s. Pace Microtechnology, which makes set-top boxes for ONdigital, said yesterday that it expects TV sets to overtake PC’s as gateways to the net (see ‘Digital Gateways’ Set To Lead The Race For Net Subscribers).
Further developments for its TV platform include ONdigital’s first premium sports channel. Due to launch next year, it is the culmination of a series of sports rights gains for the group. Last month it won the rights to broadcast live Football League and Worthington Cup matches from its rival Sky (see ITV And ONdigital Secure Football League Rights). It also owns the broadcast rights to UEFA Champions League and ATP Men’s Tennis Masters.
During the last quarter FourText, the Adult Channel, TVX, TV Travel Shop and Simply Money have all joined the platform and Nickelodeon, Paramount comedy channel and ITN News are planning to launch in the coming six months.
ONdigital: 020 7819 8000