JO
The new look itv.com launches this Tuesday
Interestingly, the original black background image is pictured next to the MediaGuardian article, but I'm not holding my breath.
MediaGuardian posted:
ITV will relaunch its ITV.com service on Tuesday, enabling viewers to watch shows such as Coronation Street live online.
The £20m revamp will launch on June 12 with online simulcasts of ITV1, ITV2 and ITV3.
However, few ITV4 programmes will be available to view as a simulcast on ITV.com at launch because of rights issues surrounding the primarily US content on the channel.
Selected sport programming, such as formula one, will also be unavailable as an online simulcast.
Neither will GMTV be available as an internet simulcast, with a decision made to run a "best of ITV" programme rounding up the pick of shows from the night before from 6am to 9.25am instead.
A staged rollout of ITV.com's video streaming will see the 30-day catchup service and programme archive activated for different programme genres on a week-by-week basis.
Soaps such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be the first genre to launch, followed - on subsequent Tuesdays - by broadband games, drama, lifestyle, sport, entertainment and news.
"Each section is almost a website in its own right so a staged rollout is the best way to manage the launch - we have learned lessons from what has happened in the market trying to launch everything at once," said the managing director of ITV Broadband, Annelies van de Belt.
The rollout is tentatively earmarked to be completed by July 31.
This will be followed - once the system is running smoothly - by the switch-off of the old ITV.com website and the launch of a heavyweight marketing campaign to promote the new service.
One media buying agency executive said ITV was coming to the market charging significantly more for in-video advertising in programming than broadcasters such as BSkyB or Channel 4.
"There is a lot of goodwill from agencies and clients alike for the ITV media player to work, but they are trying to set a very high price precedent and as it stands I'm not convinced it represents value," said the source.
"We are confident the rates we offer are competitive in the market," said Ms van de Belt. "The market has been waiting for this launch - it is a premium website offering premium content."
The £20m revamp will launch on June 12 with online simulcasts of ITV1, ITV2 and ITV3.
However, few ITV4 programmes will be available to view as a simulcast on ITV.com at launch because of rights issues surrounding the primarily US content on the channel.
Selected sport programming, such as formula one, will also be unavailable as an online simulcast.
Neither will GMTV be available as an internet simulcast, with a decision made to run a "best of ITV" programme rounding up the pick of shows from the night before from 6am to 9.25am instead.
A staged rollout of ITV.com's video streaming will see the 30-day catchup service and programme archive activated for different programme genres on a week-by-week basis.
Soaps such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be the first genre to launch, followed - on subsequent Tuesdays - by broadband games, drama, lifestyle, sport, entertainment and news.
"Each section is almost a website in its own right so a staged rollout is the best way to manage the launch - we have learned lessons from what has happened in the market trying to launch everything at once," said the managing director of ITV Broadband, Annelies van de Belt.
The rollout is tentatively earmarked to be completed by July 31.
This will be followed - once the system is running smoothly - by the switch-off of the old ITV.com website and the launch of a heavyweight marketing campaign to promote the new service.
One media buying agency executive said ITV was coming to the market charging significantly more for in-video advertising in programming than broadcasters such as BSkyB or Channel 4.
"There is a lot of goodwill from agencies and clients alike for the ITV media player to work, but they are trying to set a very high price precedent and as it stands I'm not convinced it represents value," said the source.
"We are confident the rates we offer are competitive in the market," said Ms van de Belt. "The market has been waiting for this launch - it is a premium website offering premium content."
Interestingly, the original black background image is pictured next to the MediaGuardian article, but I'm not holding my breath.
