ITV confirms pay-TV move on Sky

[Perdita]

ITV has confirmed its rumoured move into pay television with the launch of high definition versions of ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 exclusively on Sky.

Over the last three months, ITV chairman Archie Norman and chief executive Adam Crozier have been conducting a strategic review of the broadcaster to create a transformation plan.

Chief among their aims was unlocking more revenue streams away from traditional advertising, after the broadcaster recently endured one of the worst ad market slumps in living memory.

ITV has now reached an agreement with Sky to launch ITV2 HD, ITV3 HD and ITV4 HD exclusively on the subscription television platform.

The channels will be made available to Sky+ HD subscribers in the autumn, starting with ITV2 HD in October.

However, it's unclear at present whether the channels will also be coming to Virgin Media's digital cable service in the future.

"Our priority for the next 18 months is to make ITV a creatively dynamic and fit for purpose organisation while maintaining strict financial controls," said Crozier.

"We have made swift progress in putting together a very strong management team fully focussed on delivering a lean ITV that can create world class content, executed across multiple platforms and sold around the world.

"Over time we expect to move to a position whereby half of ITV's revenue base will be derived from non-television advertising sources and today we are announcing our move into pay television with the agreement to make HD versions of ITV 2, 3 and 4 pay channels on Sky."

[Abbie]

why not put them on freeview!!!!

[Perdita]

Viewers will not be made to pay for Coronation Street as ITV seeks new ways of making money, chief executive Adam Crozier has insisted.

Mr Crozier said that while the company was "developing a pay strategy", including charging for high-definition versions of ITV2, 3 and 4, it was likely that ITV1 would remain free.

The former Royal Mail and Football Association boss joined ITV in January, pledging to make the broadcaster "fit for purpose".

But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I can't envisage a situation where ITV1 is behind a pay wall.

"We are developing a pay strategy - we made our first move on to pay by launching HD versions for ITV2, 3 and 4 which will launch during the autumn on Sky.

"It's our first move into pay since I think ITV had On Digital at the turn of the century, but I don't see ITV1 being on pay, no."

And he added: "What we need to do is to turn the organisation round to get it fit for purpose and move it on and start competing in these new markets."