When I was kid we never watched ITV in our house. This wasn't some BBC-elitist snobbery going on, there was just nothing on ITV that appealed at all. Even the ITV football highlights in those days were on the day after Match of the Day. They couldn't do comedy, drama was very soapy and the bloody ads always got in the way.
Times change, but my attitude to ITV hasn't really. Sure, I've tried Downton Abbey but it wasn't my thing, I dabbled with Whitechapel but the BBC's Ripper Street wiped the floor with it, and I really felt like I could do without the agonies of a small community coming to grip with a child's murder in Broadchurch. The only time I ever visit 113 is for the Champions League coverage - and that's moving to BT Sport from next season.So for me, the news that ITV Encore is to be a Sky exclusive isn't a particularly big deal. I don't think I've ever watched the HD versions of ITV2 and ITV3 and the few times I've hunted down a film on ITV4 HD it's turned up in upscaled SD only. ITV HD itself used to be useful if I missed the BBC news in HD at 6pm, but now I've got BBC News HD I don't bother with the ITV News at all.
Even the name is something of an oddity - whilst "Encore" may has association with quality it actually means "repeat" or "more". More ITV repeats? No thanks.
But ITV is very popular (just not with me) and no doubt there will be many Virgin Media customers who will be disappointed that they won't see the channel any time soon on their TiVo's. This being a Sky exclusive is a far bigger deal than the absence of Sky Atlantic on VM for the greater British public, so here's what the ITV Encore press release says about the channel not coming soon to our TV's:
TV plc today announced that it would be launching ITV Encore this year, a new pay channel dedicated to the very best of the broadcaster's great British drama.
ITV Encore, which will be available on Sky's platforms, will be ITV's first brand new channel launch in eight years and forms part of a wider four year partnership with Sky - ITV's biggest ever with a platform operator.
The new channel will be home to some of ITV's most successful drama series of recent years. From 2015, it will also screen original commissions with the ITV hallmark of high quality production values, big name lead actors and compelling narratives penned by some of the UK's best writers.
In addition, as part of the wider deal with Sky, ITV content will be made available through Sky's range of connected platforms including Sky+HD, Sky Go, NOW TV and Sky Store.
Adam Crozier, ITV Chief Executive, said:
"A key part of our strategy is to become the most watched, most loved and most talked about family of free and pay channels for every household and every advertiser in the UK.
"ITV's brilliant dramas contributed to a fantastic on-screen performance last year - we had three out of the top five dramas in 2013, which helped us increase our share of viewing on the main channel for the first time in a decade.
"The time is absolutely right to build on our successful partnership with Sky with the launch of ITV Encore, which will be an important part of ITV's family of channels, and will complement ITV3, home to our long-running, classic drama series. ITV Encore is right in line with our strategy of growing non advertising revenues while at the same time creating even greater opportunities to showcase new drama."
Jeremy Darroch, Sky Chief Executive, said:
"Our customers love great drama and so we are delighted to bring them exclusive access to a new channel from one of the best loved brands in TV. The wider availability of ITV programmes on our fast-growing connected TV services, including Sky Go, Sky Store and NOW TV, will make Sky stand out as a great place to enjoy ITV, on multiple devices, both at home and on the go. This is good news for Sky customers and a positive way for us to work with ITV in a broad, mutually beneficial partnership."
In addition to being available on Sky's satellite platform, ITV Encore will also be available on NOW TV, Sky's internet TV service. The wider deal with Sky includes:
· launch of ITV catch up and archive VOD and simulcast of ITV channels on Sky Go, together with launch of ITV Player on the NOW TV box
· renewal of the carriage deal for ITV 2, 3 and 4 HD and ITV catch up and archive VOD on the Sky+ HD platform, including an extended range of high quality TV box sets
· availability of ITV content on a rental basis in Sky Store
13 comments:
ITV answer to Channel 4 and Channel 5 offerings 'best of' channels that is 4Seven and Channel 5 +24 (initially 5Later)
I say 'best of' as that was how 4Seven was marketed at launch with additional chance to see quality from C4, More4 and E4 (though I seen nothing from it [E4]) again.
Channel 5 +24 is on the cheap though you not hear Channel 5 or its owners say that as its 18-19 hours of Teleshopping with yesterdays primetime (7pm to prior to Supercasino ~12/1am)
I have watched ITV loyally for 50 years am disgusted at being ignored by them as a virgin customer.will not watch them now
a
Loyal to ITV and disgusted as a virgin customer.50years watching.feel letdown
I am looking forward to this channel, and the on demand service, that will go with it on Sky. Well done Sky.
Who gives a shit! More crap, more cost...
If you are a Sky subscriber it's at no extra cost. From 2015 Sky Encore will also screen original commissions.
You said who gives a shit! More crap, that's only your opinion and not everyone else's, just because you don't like it, does not mean everyone else has not got to like it.
You obviously work for sky.ITV has a duty as a franchised free to air to show new programmes to all.if not then give franchise to someone who can.Oh by the way,VIRGIN TiVo is much better value esp better broadband and cheaper and I am retired not a mouthpiece for sky.thank god for FREE BBC quality programmes.ITV has sold out to the enemy1215
Must say, fully enjoying this channel, and it makes it so easy to find the dramas having them on one channel, watching a very lot on this channel, but I have watched for the first time round for me, as I missed it before, Broadchurch, fantastic drama and cannot wait for series 2.
As I said before,you are a sky mouthpiece.ITV haslet down virgin,BT and free view customers.OK if it is just repeats but if they do like a sky Atlantic type channel,then their franchise should be removed.ITV is a public service corporate service not like Murdoch and sky.the main channel should show first run stuff.as I said before virgin is brilliant with no hidden charges like sky.maybe virgin should tie up with channel 4 or 5 like ITV have.
Colin Tufnell, you are a mouthpiece for Virgin. I don't work for Sky, I have had Virgin TV, nothing but area faults, and on demand errors, a load of rubbish to me compared to Sky. Itv Encore has repeats at the moment, but in 2015, new series going to be on there. I have Virgin BB and telephone line, and have indeed been with them for over 17 years, but Sky offered me a far better deal with the TV, that Virgin told me to take up, as they could not offer the deal I got. Now just because I am enjoying Sky and I say so, I would also say if I was not, I am entitled to my opinion as you are, but by having both TV systems in my house, I know which is best for me, and since I joined Sky last September, I have not had to ring up with one fault, whereas I was always on the phone to Virgin. All the best.
Just checked for problems with TiVo in my area, and yes, problems as usual, here is the proof, this is what it said:
There is a fault disruption.
You might find that your TV picture is freezing or blanking on Catch Up TV and TV On Demand on your Virgin TV or TiVo® service at the moment.
Fault Reported on : 10:15PM Thursday 10 July
The problem is almost fixed - our engineers are carrying out their final checks.
Fault reference: F003178320
Estimated Fix time : 04:00PM Friday 11 July
Liberty global who own virgin may be taking over ITV and that will mean the end of tie ups with dodgy Murdock owned SKY. Be great if liberty make big offer with HBO as well.Think ITV are now backing down over first run stuff on encore because ITV main channel is still a money earner.I don't work for virgin but love my trouble free service and 60mgbs bb.have a nice day.just friendly banter.
Lucky you get trouble free service, likewise I enjoy trouble free Sky TV. As you could see from my last post, there is a lot of area faults with Virgin in my area.
Post a Comment