ITV could charge users to watch TV shows on its ITV Player on-demand service, according to a top boss at the broadcaster, adopting a micropayment scheme rather than subscription so you’ll pay per click on Simon Cowell, rather than a monthly rate.
According to Carolyn Fairbairn, director of group development and strategy at ITV, the struggling network is looking at charging for its catch-up service, ITV Player.
“Micropayments are absolutely on our agenda. We are part-funding the Digital Britain research into the viability of this,” she said. “We will continue to look for ad-supported models, absolutely. However, the idea people will pay is something we should look at and do.”
ITV Player is currently free, but a micropayment system, where you might pay a few pennies every time you watch Kate & Peter, might be the way forward for a more profitable internet TV on-demand business model. ITV has no definite plans to charge just yet, but if it does, don’t rule out Channel 4 testing something similar with 4oD Catch-Up.
Out TBC | £TBC | ITV (Via The Telegraph)
Mixed feelings on this. Seems quite an ‘old’ approach to the modern problem of ‘everything free’, but then again, the arms race between networks of giving content away free with no apparent business plan also seems to be a dead end.
What a joke..The channel is full of the worst shows on TV, now they want to charge for the privilege.Don`t make me laugh.
If they got their house in order instead of hosting rip off phone scams & dodgy competitions and not too mention pumping millions into their crap shows (all of which are txt/phone voting shows) then it might stop going down the pan.
I WILL NEVER PAY FOR ITV, If they think this move will save them they are seriously mistaken.This move will be the final nail in ITV`s coffin..Goodbye and good riddance i say..
I second that, would happily ditch it.