ITV Launch ITVX to replace ITVHub

[Omnipresent]

ITV has announced the launch of ITVX, which will replace the ITVHub later this year:

https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-re...ucing-itvx

ITVX will be the first streaming service in the UK to offer viewers the flexibility to access free content with ads and ad-free paid subscription, all in one place.

Viewers will now be able to stream new programme exclusives, with adverts, for free; ranging from premium ITV dramas, documentaries, US series, comedy and reality shows to blockbuster films and much, much more.

As well as “streaming first” exclusives, all the drama and comedy ITV commissions will be made available to viewers in one go on ITVX, for free, as soon as the first episode has aired on ITV’s linear channels. The same will be true of the majority of reality series.

In the same service, subscription gives upgrade access to a premium tier where all of the free content can be viewed, without the ads, as well as a growing range of partner content, with exciting announcements to follow in due course.

Subscribers will also have access to BritBox which showcases the biggest streaming collection of UK series from BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and includes exclusives such as Classic Doctor Who. BritBox has recently surpassed 733,000 subscribers, ahead of all business plan targets showing the popularity of the brand.

Until the launch of ITVX later this year, ITV Hub will continue to be the free streaming home of ITV, with ongoing plans to scale up the amount of content on the service in the run up to ITVX launch. ITV Hub currently has 4,000 hours of content while ITVX will have around 15,000 hours at launch.

BritBox will remain the standalone subscription home of the best of British content including forthcoming originals Why Don’t They Ask Evans? and The Dry, until later this year, when the content on ITV Hub and BritBox come together in what will be the new streaming home of ITV, ITVX.

The pricing of the subscription tier in ITVX will be announced later this year.

[mccanmat]

It seems to gloss over BritBox - will BritBox subscribers have access to ITVX etc

[natashajacobs]

It seems to gloss over BritBox - will BritBox subscribers have access to ITVX etc

To begin with, but sounds like they’re going to close it and merge it in eventually

[NthnRw]

BritBox probably isn't working or enough of a draw as a standalone service so I can see it becoming a content hub only on other platforms, such as Prime (as it is now) and ITVX.

[Pete]

ITVX will be the first streaming service in the UK to offer viewers the flexibility to access free content with ads and ad-free paid subscription, all in one place.

All4+ is typing...

[Jeff]

It seems to gloss over BritBox - will BritBox subscribers have access to ITVX etc

To begin with, but sounds like they’re going to close it and merge it in eventually

It's one thing if Britbox's library will merely be accessible for paid ITVX users while the service continues to be available as a stand-alone proposition. It's a whole different equation if Britbox is effectively closing and its content migrating to ITVX.

Can't imagine Britbox's other content suppliers would be too happy about continuing to provide content to fuel a rival network's streaming service.

[AlfieMulcahy]

It makes sense to merge Hub, Hub+ and BritBox into a single service under the ITV banner. But could they not have chosen a better name for the service.

[Josh]

Reminds me of the time when Liberty renamed to Liberty X. Talk about a niche reference.

[This is UTV]

So one of the FAST channels will be of The Chase episodes running back to back...er hang on that sounds like Challenge TV already.

I won't be surprised if ITV Studios now stops supplying The Chase to Sky/Challenge later this year.

The ITVX name is a bit bland. Where does all this leave Scottish/STV viewers? STV Player for the free stuff and ITVX only in Scotland for the paid option?

[RR]

ITVX will be the first streaming service in the UK to offer viewers the flexibility to access free content with ads and ad-free paid subscription, all in one place.

All4+ is typing...

ITV Hub+ being one they may have heard of before

[Rick]

Awful name. ITV Hub is a much better sounding name in every way.

[Spencer]

I think the name sounds like it's ITV's own adult channel.

[scottishtv]

I think the name sounds like it's ITV's own adult channel.

Yeh, I also think of X Games and sounds a bit youth-oriented.

Having read the press release, I get the impression that ITV Hub is too closely associated with 'catch-up' in peoples' minds so the rebranding to ITVX is intended to make viewers think "wow! fresh new content dropping every week" in addition to the catch-up stuff.

I think the cringeworthy term 'digital first windowing strategy' should maybe have stayed in the strategy meeting, but hey..

[Moz]

What a terrible name! Quite like the shape of the X though.

[JAS84]

Logo reminds me of the Xbox games console's...

It seems to gloss over BritBox - will BritBox subscribers have access to ITVX etc

To begin with, but sounds like they’re going to close it and merge it in eventually

It's one thing if Britbox's library will merely be accessible for paid ITVX users while the service continues to be available as a stand-alone proposition. It's a whole different equation if Britbox is effectively closing and its content migrating to ITVX.

Can't imagine Britbox's other content suppliers would be too happy about continuing to provide content to fuel a rival network's streaming service.

BritBox's shows could easily be redistributed among the other services if it closes - iPlayer would get the BBC content, All4 the Channel 4 content, My5 the Channel 5 content, and ITVX would get the ITV content and any BritBox originals (such as Spitting Image).

But I don't think they do plan to close BritBox. The press release made a point of mentioning that BritBox has Doctor Who, which is one of the shows they'd lose if BritBox closed since it belongs to the BBC.