ITV To Add Payment Option For Streaming Service
It looks as though the days of watching free TV may be coming to an end, UK TV network ITV are going to charge viewers for accessing their catch-up service ITV Player, the chief executive of ITV. Adam Crozier has said.
ITV Player looking to charge
Speaking to the Guardian, he said, “Our pay mechanism will launch at the turn of the year. We have picked our partners. We are working on the consumer proposition, what people are prepared to pay for and what will work and won’t work.”
The idea of a payment system for broadcasting online was mooted last year by ITV, but they have been quiet about the concept, until now. Revenue for ITV Player revenue increased by 33% this year with a 64% increase in viewers to 180m, who watched ITV shows using computer, tablets and smartphones.
The kind of charges and which content will attract a premium is not known, but Crozier has indicated that ITV will experiment, using multiple payment models such as subscriptions or pay-per-view services.
With such a big number of users, the idea of charging must be appealing. ITV may have been looking at the Hulu Plus platform for inspiration, but how many would stay if the free options are removed is another question.
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ITV should remain free. Why should we pay to rematch shows that have aired already?