It may not be news in the US yet, but the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster is going all web all the time. ITV is launching a service that will stream its channels live over the internet. The service will also include past shows so that viewers can "catch up" on programming that they missed.
ITV also plans to offer "web only" exclusive programs to draw audience. The company will spend $40 million on the launch. The online live broadcasts will run the same commercials as their terrestrial counterparts.
The move is not without risk. The web presence stands side-by-side with the traditional broadcast. If viewer move to the internet it is still unclear that advertisers will pay the same rate for the same viewer.
But, inexorably, web TV is coming. The UK development will move across the ocean to the US. It is just a matter of time.
Douglas A. McIntyre