[opendtv] News: ITV in talks to join Freeview digital TV consortium
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 12:06:48 -0400
ITV in talks to join Freeview digital TV consortium
June 21, 2004 12:00am
Source: The Sunday Telegraph. Source : Financial=20
Times Information Limited - Europe Intelligence=20
Wire
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH (UNITED KINGDOM): ITV, the=20
commercial broadcaster, is negotiating to become=20
a member of the consortium that runs Freeview,=20
the fast-growing digital television service.
=46reeview is currently backed by British Sky=20
Broadcasting, the satellite broadcaster, the BBC=20
and Crown Castle International, the transmitter=20
company. They own DTV Services, the company=20
responsible for promoting and marketing Freeview.
Discussions between Mick Desmond, ITV's head of=20
broadcasting, and executives within the Freeview=20
consortium are understood to have explored the=20
prospect of ITV becoming an additional partner in=20
DTV Services.
If the deal goes ahead it could boost Freeview's=20
annual pounds 4.5m marketing budget by more than=20
30 per cent.
ITV already has a joint stake with Channel 4 in=20
one of the six bundles of channels, known as=20
multiplexes, that make up the Freeview package.=20
Its ITV1, ITV2 and ITV News channels are=20
broadcast on the service.
=46reeview has grown dramatically since its launch=20
in October 2002 and is estimated to reach 4m of=20
Britain's 24m homes, overtaking cable in terms of=20
popularity and coming second only to Sky as a=20
multi-channel television platform.
One television executive said he thought ITV was=20
keen to play a role in Freeview in order to gain=20
favour with the Government. The Government is=20
planning to convert the country from traditional=20
analogue television to digital by 2010. The=20
growth of Freeview is central to achieving this=20
goal.
ITV values good relations with the Government as=20
it is hoping to pay less for its television=20
licences, which are issued by the state, and=20
reduce the burden of costly public service=20
broadcast requirements. .end (paragraph)<<THE=20
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH (UNITED KINGDOM) -- 06/20/04>>
<< Copyright =A92004 The Sunday Telegraph. Source :=20
=46inancial Times Information Limited - Europe=20
Intelligence Wire >>
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