ITV confirms ITV1+1 launch in Q1 2011

ITV has confirmed plans to launch the delayed one-hour timeshift of its main ITV1 channel in the first quarter of 2011.
The channel launch was announced as part of ITV chairman Archie Norman and chief executive Adam Crozier’s new five-year transformation plan for the broadcaster.
As part of the new digital strategy, ITV will make ITV1+1 available in Q1 next year, although the broadcaster has not announced any further details on specific platforms.

Last year, ITV first unveiled plans to launch ITV1+1 on digital satellite and Virgin Media’s digital cable service on October 1, 2009.
However, the broadcaster opted to delay the channel “until further notice”, despite securing a transponder place on Sky’s programming guide.
It is understood that concerns over the Contract Rights Renewal (CRR) mechanism – which seeks to protect media buyers from ITV’s dominance in the UK’s commercial television market – were behind the decision.

In May, the Competition Commission retained the CRR, but proposed factoring in ITV1+1 and ITV1 HD into future calculations so that ITV was not unfairly disadvantaged.
Last week, the House Of Lords communications committee also confirmed plans to run an inquiry into the television advertising market, including the CRR system.