UK commercial broadcaster ITV is launching a brand new streaming service as it ups the ante in its battle with on-demand platforms like Netflix.
In announcing profits boosted by the World Cup and the hit show Love Island, ITV chief exec Caroline McCall said the ITV Hub will be replaced by a new offering that’ll boost its “direct to consumer business”.
Not a lot else is known about the venture, but recent reports have suggested terrestrial broadcasters like ITV, the BBC and Channel 4 may be looking to team up in order to tackle the threat from Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Currently, ITV Hub+ offers ad-free access to programming as well as offline downloads on iOS devices. It costs £3.99 a month, which is about half the price of a Netflix subscription.
What else ITV has in mind to compete with the dedicated streaming services remains to be seen, but the new platform will arrive with the aim of growing the broadcaster’s online revenue.
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The rumours of an alliance with the BBC and Channel 4 would be interesting and enable Brits to access all of the terrestrial broadcaster’s content in one simple portal. Of course, the BBC’s content is already available ad-free for TV License holders on the iPlayer, so a service that charges for that content just won’t happen.
In a statement, McCall says: “It will be a growing and profitable content business, which drives returns; and it will create value by developing and nurturing strong direct consumer relationships, where people want to spend money on a range of content and experiences with a really trusted brand.”
Would you pay money for an ITV-led streaming service with content from the BBC and Channel 4? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.