[James]

BBC and ITV set to launch Netflix rival
2 minutes ago



The BBC, home to crime drama Luther, and ITV, maker of Love Island and I'm A Celebrity, are in the "concluding phase of talks" to create a rival to Netflix.

The BBC's director general Tony Hall said the aim was to launch the "BritBox" rival to Netflix in the UK the second half of 2019.

The announcement came as ITV reported 2018 profits of £567m, up 13%.

ITV's chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall said it was an "uncertain economic and political environment".

She said the "BritBox" rival to Netflix will be the home for the "best of British creativity".

Neither organisation would say how the services would be priced, but Lord Hall said it would be "competitive".

There are reports it could cost £5 a month.


The two organisations already have a BritBox streaming service in North America which Lord Hall said was "ahead of expectations". It has 500,000 subscribers.

"Research with the British public shows that there is a real appetite for a new British streaming service - in addition to their current subscriptions," he said.

Dame Carolyn told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme that 43% of all homes which use the Internet are interested in a subscription. For homes which already subscribe to Netflix, she said that increased to half of all homes.

"There is a window of opportunity here," she said.

ITV will spend £25m on the venture this year and £40m in 2020.

The new venture is not intended to replace the BBC's iPlayer or the ITV Hub and is expected to have box sets from the BBC and ITV archives with some new commissions.

There will be "one permanent, comprehensive home where anyone in Britain can get all of our library content - both the ITV and BBC library - in one place and they can watch it anytime, anywhere," she told Today.

Dame Carolyn told the BBC that existing licensing agreements with Netflix will be honoured. For instance, last year, Netflix acquired the rights to the BBC show Bodyguard - from ITV Studios which owns the production company which made the drama.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47383559

[James]

Possible new home for Big Brother?

[arista]

https://www.britbox.co.uk/

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...-rival-britbox

[Backlash as BBC and ITV to launch Netflix rival BritBox: 'What about our license fee?']

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebri...tflix-14059655



Yes it is no match to Netlflix , though.
Britbox is doing OK in the USA
https://www.britbox.com/about
$6:99 a month

[There are reports it could cost £5 a month.]
thats the problem, most have Amazon Prime or Netflix

If Big Brother was put up by the ITV side
for that much money a month
I would expect 24/7 Live feed,

[Mitchell]

All series of I’m a celeb and I’m in

[Crimson Dynamo]

keep it

[arista]

[Meanwhile, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are also said to be in "constructive discussions" to join the venture in the future.]

[smudgie]

All for this, providing they drop the license fee.

[Marsh.]

Erm I'll keep the iPlayer thanks.

[Cherie]

So yet another fee to pay, there are only so many of these platforms that people will pay for, and yes as I pay the licence fee the IPlayer will do tyvm

[Alf]

BBC need to do something, Tommy Robinson has shown everyone how to cancel your TV licence, in his latest documentary. Those big BBC salaries need to be paid somehow.

[arista]

Originally Posted by smudgie

All for this, providing they drop the license fee.

No it has nothing to do with that.



Its a Additional Pay Service
but no way is it anything like Netflix
it needs Ch4 and Ch5 with it
to make it better.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Alf

BBC need to do something, Tommy Robinson has shown everyone how to cancel your TV licence, in his latest documentary. Those big BBC salaries need to be paid somehow.

Thats not legal

[Alf]

Originally Posted by arista

Thats not legal

I don't know if it is or not. He seems to think it's fine. I suppose time will tell. Until then, I shall keep paying mine.

[Glenn.]

Imagine if C4 came in and put BB on it though...

[user104658]

It needs C4 on board to be worth it to be honest. They've gone downhill now but there was a 10+ year span where they were making the majority of the decent original British television.

5 can stay away... although... I'd love it if MTV trash was on there and I guess that would come with 5.

[Marsh.]

Been confirmed today that the license fee will not be used to fund the service.

But in conjunction with it, they will be making improvements to iPlayer.

[Gstar]

I’m here for this. Hopefully they get Ch4 and Ch5 on board

[arista]

Price confirmed at £5.99 in HD a month. Today.

No news on new exclusive shows , yet




https://news.sky.com/story/bbc-and-i...tflix-11766269

[arista]

Originally Posted by Gstar

I’m here for this. Hopefully they get Ch4 and Ch5 on board

No they are not
shame


Ch5 Big Brother would have been good.

[Withano]

Now that Apprentice finished, Bake off moved, and x factor and bgt got stale - I watch nothing from either of those channels

[arista]

Its also Launching in USA
at $7:50 BritBoxHD a month

Ref: BloombergHD

[Gstar]

Originally Posted by Withano

Now that Apprentice finished, Bake off moved, and x factor and bgt got stale - I watch nothing from either of those channels

Bake off moving from BBC was the worst thing ever!!! The only show BBC actually care about is strictly

[Headie]

Originally Posted by Withano

Now that Apprentice finished, Bake off moved, and x factor and bgt got stale - I watch nothing from either of those channels

Apprentice hasn't finished

[Withano]

Originally Posted by Hayden

Apprentice hasn't finished

Best news ever

[Denver]

This has been up and running with a beta version for a few days

Viacom are also involved now so their CH5 programming will be on there