In its interim Q1 earnings report, the UK’s leading commercial broadcaster ITV (LSE: ITV) says: “We’ve been investing in making ITV Player more robust and easier to use, and we’re making it available on a wide range of mobiles and tablets, starting with Android smartphones within the next few weeks and on the iPhone in Q3.”
Britain’s leading broadcaster catch-up TV service, BBC iPlayer, launched on mobile earlier this year. Channel 4 launched it 4oD on iPad last month. ITV, which is looking for ways to charge for online content, did not say whether its mobile VOD would incur fees.
The broadcaster acknowledges it underperforms online but says in latest earnings: “Online performance and distribution improved, with long form video views up 67 percent to 45 million and total video views rising by 45 percent to around 72 million.”
Former Global Radio digital director Robin Pembrooke (pictured) has been trying to sort out ITV’s online strategy after being appointed its digital director.
Welsh-language broadcaster S4C also yesterday launched its S4C Clic catch-up TV service, previously available only via web, as an iPhone app. iPad coming soon.
Catch-up shows are available during a 35-day post-transmission window but the app also simulcasts live S4C. The app is bilingual.
This could be a good way for S4C to reach a younger audience, which appears to have turned off its programming in recent years.
Channel 5’s Demand Five catch-up service will go on iPad this autumn, Mad.co.uk reports.
In Q1, an improved TV advertising market pushed ITV’s revenue up 11 percent, compared with last year, to £500 million.