ITV unveils the new ITV.com as the most comprehensive commercial website offered by any major broadcaster in the world. The new site, which will go live to consumers within weeks, will offer:

• Live streaming of ITV’s channels
• 30 day catch-up service
• ‘Best of ITV’ archive
• Exclusive behind the scenes content
• Made for broadband commissions
• User-generated content and news services
• Broadband games, and much more

The site will have industry leading functionality with ‘click and watch’ technology and instant free access, with no complicated software downloads.

Michael Grade, Executive Chairman of ITV said:

“Today we are combining the best of TV with the best of the web to create a service unrivalled by any other commercial broadcaster, anywhere in the world. Some are already streaming their channels, some are providing catch-up, and some building their archive, but ITV.com will provide all three.

“ITV.com provides a compelling free service to consumers and dynamic online opportunities for our advertisers. This launch is a major step in ITV’s development.”

Key features of the site include:

Free and easy to use

ITV has developed industry-leading ‘click and watch’ technology with the ITV media player displayed prominent on every page, giving instant access to streaming, catch-up and the best of the ITV archive.

ITV’s newly developed interactive Electronic Programme Guide can be customised by favourites or genres and will send out email and text reminders before the show airs.

Exclusive content

We have employed a team of 40 online content editors and multimedia producers to work closely with our channel commissioners and programme makers to bring the best of ITV to ITV.com. Our teams are working together to deliver 360 degree commissioning, working across TV, broadband, and mobile.

ITV.com will offer unprecedented access to the very best ITV content, organised by genre to cover news, drama, entertainment, sport, lifestyle and soaps with video rich content, first look promos, and exclusive preview and interview packages. Viewers will be able to interact with the cast and crew of the hit soaps via live chats, behind the scenes interviews and on set blogs as well as access to exclusive, never before aired, scenes. Our ‘Celebrity Playlists’ will help viewers pick the shows to watch from the ‘Best of ITV’ archive.

Made for broadband

We have commissioned exclusive made for broadband content, launching with ‘Web Lives’, a documentary collaboration with award-winning filmmaker Roger Graef of Films of Record. ‘Web Lives’ is an innovative new daily show with members of the public documenting their lives in a series of short 3-minute episodes, providing a unique snapshot of life on the web in 2007.

User Generated Content – Uploaded

We are placing user generated content (UGC) at the heart of the site, building on ITV News’ strong track record in UGC news gathering. With Uploaded anyone can become a citizen correspondent, commenting and submitting their own ‘witness’ news clips to www.itv.com/news or emailing their pictures and videos to uploaded@itn.com.

Sports

Sports fans will enjoy an unparalleled football, rugby, boxing and cycling package including live Champions League, UEFA Cup, Rugby World Cup and Tour De France coverage and highlights. ITV.com will feature columns and punditry from major sports stars, including David Coulthard’s Formula 1 column. And coming in 2008, all the excitement of the FA Cup on ITV, ITV.com and ITV Mobile.

Advertisers

As the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster ITV has unrivalled experience in providing quality content to deliver maximum reach for our advertisers. Using the latest technology online, we are able to offer flexible ad delivery systems to our advertisers, including clickable video ads, video pre-roll, bespoke advertising around non-live content, sponsorship of made for broadband content, and banner ads.

Broadband games

By combining archive footage with new audio recordings, ITV is bringing some of the best game shows of the 1980s and 90s back to life on ITV.com. Broadband versions of Blockbuster, Catchphrase, Countdown and Family Fortunes will allow viewers to join in with the legendary presenters and play and win real money.