Yahoo Finance ITV and BBC unveil when Netflix rival 'Britbox' will launch
ITV (ITV.L) has announced Britbox, its joint streaming service with the BBC, is set to launch in Britain in the second half of this year.
The broadcaster said it was “on track” to have the service up and running before the end of 2019. But it left viewers guessing about the exact launch date.
The new service has been created to help the broadcasters take on Netflix and other streaming rivals, pooling their content online. It is already available in North America.
Customers would pay through a subscription rather than the licence fee, with hopes those not paying the licence fee would be tempted to sign up.
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It has not yet been confirmed how much a subscription will cost, but some reports have suggested it could be £5 a month.
The broadcasters say the move is not intended to replace ITV Hub or BBC iPlayer.
ITV announced the plans for a 2019 launch in a trading update to investors ahead of its AGM today.
The company reported a 4% drop in first-quarter revenue, blaming a late Easter and political uncertainty for weaker advertising demand.
But the £743m revenue was above market forecasts of £729m, according to Reuters.
ITV said new dramas Manhunt, Cheat, Cleaning Up and The Bay had driven figures.
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