ITV Play to launch on Mux D on April 19th!

[heady]

I couldn't see this listed anywhere else here so I thought I'd just post a quick bit of news that I picked up over at the ITV Press Department

ITV is to launch a new interactive gaming channel on April 19th 2006. The channel will be called "ITV Play" and will initially be available on Freeview only, later extended to Sky and Cable platforms. They will also be rebranding the throught the night Interactive Call-In Gaming shows on ITV1 and 2 to be called "ITV Play".

According to ITVs Annual Profits Report 2005 (released 8th March 2006), ITV Play will be on Mux D on the same bandwidth as currently used by Men and Motors. As to what will happen to Men and Motors, is anyone's guess. But it is favourite that it will be dropped from Freeview in favour of keeping all of the ITV branded channels available to DTT.

Heady->

 

[Rat]

a little more from DS
ITV has confirmed the launch of a 24/7 participation TV channel, ITV Play.

The decision to create a dedicated gaming channel is in response to the increasing popularity of the format in the overnight hours on ITV1 and ITV2 and is seen as a key part of the broadcaster's strategy to increase non-advertising revenues.

“We believe that ITV Play has enormous potential to lead the market for participation TV with higher production values, better programmes and bigger prizes," said ITV chief executive Charles Allen.

ITV Play will launch as a channel first on Freeview on April 19 then on other platforms, including Sky, later in the year. The overnight shows on ITV1 and ITV2 will be rebranded 'ITV Play' to accompany the change and drive audiences to the channel.

'ITV Play'-branded features are also being developed for ITV's online and mobile services, while new games are being created to tie in with key ITV programmes. The first of these will be Rovers Return, a pub quiz format trading off Coronation Street.

"We are working with the UK’s top producers to come up with high quality, entertaining, playful formats that contain much more interaction than viewers have seen before," said Jeff Henry, head of ITV's Consumer division. "With the success we’ve already from existing formats on ITV1 and ITV2, we feel confident that these programmes will prove extremely popular with our mass-market audiences."

William van Rest, former executive at Optimistic Entertainment, has been appointed controller of ITV Play.

 

[nix9]

I wonder if they are replacing M&M or aim to be a YooPlay style addition and just squeeze it in the same place?

 

[Cropstar]

I wonder if they are replacing M&M or aim to be a YooPlay style addition and just squeeze it in the same place?

It's gonna replace M&M. Damn quiz channels :Chainsaw:

 

[edelea]

Replace m&m?

Why are they replacing m&m with that cr*p? It's a great channel! Satellite is already saturated with quiz channels and game networks, and none of them are any good in my opinion.

 

[mr3d]

:BLOBBY:

PLEASE NO MORE QUIZ CHANNELS - Why, Why, Why -

 

[aScottishBloke]

Anyone seen any figures on how much these channels generate in terms of call revenue.

All pure p1sh in my eyes, although I have used channels only when they offer a free entry (call back) via the web. Was p1shed tho, so on occassions it's possible to enter your number incorrectly and some poor sod gets called in the wee small hours of the morning.

B

 

[al pacino]

New channel on 107 'TOPUPTV ACTIVE'

 

[Rat]

doing a scan now cheers Al Pacino

 

[Rat]

scan found 107 and yes its TopUp Active,but no test card no hints to what it could be hmmm wonder if it could be a new kinda XtraView

 

[Rat]

just found this

 

[hamba]

That's all we need - another *#*##****###%%* shopping channel!

:FRIGHT: : shocked2 :FRIGHT:

 

[spinifex]

It's gonna replace M&M. Damn quiz channels :Chainsaw:

quiz channels they are a joke m8 totally..i used a vigin £5 credit free sim and at 50p a throw lol (quite good considering its supposed to be 60p from a landline) i rang them 10 times when they were talking and not in a call and didnt get thru @ all... all i got was a fog horn saying sorry...ten times tho come on guys :/

i h8 stupid chanels like those..

off subject: also do peeps also know that boomerang is also on hotbird and becomes viewable via ya dragon cam or w/e

 

[spinifex]

just found this

ffs and i bet theyll make ya pay 4 the channels aswell..if they do ill kick ass lmao

 

[dunc]

Keep M and M

Hope M and M can be saved, decent back up channel, we don't need any more quiz channels, they are for morons.

 

[MA]

with a lot of these quiz shows/channels, you can enter for free online. no, i am NOT condoning them, im jus saying lol

also, these channels have as much right as any other to be on freeview, so i reckon we should just be happy with what we get. Remember: FREEview - you get what you paid for

 

[nix9]

Anyone seen any figures on how much these channels generate in terms of call revenue.

All pure p1sh in my eyes, although I have used channels only when they offer a free entry (call back) via the web. Was p1shed tho, so on occassions it's possible to enter your number incorrectly and some poor sod gets called in the wee small hours of the morning.

B

entering the wrong number? Sounds ripe for playing prank calls on friends at 3am when you're p1shed and it seems fun - you can deny it all the next day when you sober up LOL

As to revenue found this quote:

Some estimates suggest that phone-in quizzes generate around £50 million a year for broadcasters, making them a crucial source of income at a time of increasing pressure on advertising revenue.

 

[slydog]

i hate quiz channels, men and motors is 100 times betta

 

[slydog]

New channel on 107 'TOPUPTV ACTIVE'

TOPTVACTIVE is just a text advert advertising TopUpTV :-(

 

[stevedw]

What channel on mux d is ITV Play on? ive done a channel search a few times but ITV Play doesnt appear on the epg.