ITV and Pact have announced what both companies describe as “a pivotal new terms of trade deal fit for the streaming era.” According both parties, the new terms put audiences front and centre, ensuring they can view their favorite ITV shows whenever and wherever they want, whilst also ensuring that the UK’s independent producers continue to thrive.
Under the new terms, producers continue to own the underlying IP to their ideas, whilst benefiting from a more favorable net position, streamlined processes and enhanced tariffs – particularly for independent producers new to ITV. The new terms will also help maximize exposure for producers’ programmes by giving ITV the flexibility to improve the availability and discoverability of programmes across ITV1 and ITVX – in all the ways viewers expect, including premiering on ITVX without the need to negotiate rights separately, show by show.
The new terms recognize that the old world of primary linear rights and secondary on demand rights no longer meets audience needs. ITV will now have a more flexible, platform-agnostic rights framework to help supercharge its streaming strategy, with the needs of the viewer at its heart. It will also allow ITV to enhance ITVX with flexible windowing, improved series stacking and increased box set availability – delivering all previous series of a title on ITVX and allowing viewers to catch up from the beginning in its entirety before a new series starts. The new terms apply to programmes with an intended transmission on ITV1.
“At ITV viewers are at the heart of everything we do and so we are delighted to have reached a new agreement with Pact. The new deal will help supercharge ITVX, ensuring that audiences can watch more of the brilliant British content they love, whenever and wherever they want. It will also ensure that ITV continues to play its crucial role as a public service broadcaster supporting the UK’s thriving independent production community,” said Kevin Lygo, Managing Director, Media & Entertainment at ITV.
“The new deal with ITV shows that the terms of trade are still effective for both broadcasters and indies 20 years on from their introduction in 2003. This agreement contains enhanced tariffs and allows indies to benefit from an enhanced share of international revenue at the same time as helping ITV to support their public service remit, providing audiences with quality British content,” added Max Rumney, Director of Legal and Business Affairs at Pact.