Hundreds of hours of ITV shows are about to hit YouTube while the UK commercial net has hired a Channel 4 exec to run a dedicated YouTube sales team.
As UK broadcasters continue to burrow into the digital space, ITV has struck a deal with YouTube that will see the likes of Love Island, I’m a Celebrity.. Get Me Out of Here, The Masked Singer and Vera become available on the platform.
Genres from scripted to entertainment to reality comprise the deal. Genre-based channels including ITV News and ITV Sport will be developed alongside channels for specific shows, while ITV will create and develop fan content specially tailored for YouTube.
To aid with the push, ITV has hired Channel 4 Senior Lead Streaming & Social Sales Abul Noor to be its Head of YouTube Sales. The newly-created role will see Noor lead a team, which will sell the full range of advertising opportunities around ITV and ITV Studios channels on YouTube, including content both made by ITV Studios and commissioned by the network. Zoo 55, ITV Studios’ new digital content label, will manage ITV and ITV Studios YouTube presence.
ITV content boss Kevin Lygo said the move is “part of our continuing strategic approach to maximise reach and viewing opportunities for audiences,” coming two years after the launch of streamer ITVX, which has seen a 35% growth in viewing since rollout.
Alison Lomax, Managing Director, YouTube UK & Ireland, added: “ITV is one of the UK’s most beloved TV broadcasters and is home to a hugely diverse range of content – from I’m A Celebrity to Bullseye.”
Channel 4 has a similar deal in place with YouTube via its Channel 4.0 and the network’s recently-forged Fast Forward Strategy is prioritizing YouTube growth.