ONDIGITAL REACH ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS

ONDIGITAL, the digital terrestrial television platform, which will be rebranded as ITV Digital, have announced that they have reached the milestone of one million subscribers, and they expect to break at £1.7 million subscribers.
ONdigital have now been brought under an integrated management structure led by the new ITV Chief Executive Stuart Prebble. The platform will be rebranded ITV Digital, benefiting from the strongest brand in UK commercial television. ITV Digital will benefit from the government’s recent announcement to increase the power of the digital signal at key transmitters covering major urban areas.
Improved reception and new content have added to the attractiveness of ITV Digital’s consumer offer. Nickelodeon, the Paramount Comedy Channel and Wellbeing channels were added earlier this year and the forthcoming launch of the ITV Sport Channel in august is said to further boost ITV Digital’s line-up of channels. The ITV Sport Channel will have exclusive coverage of the Nationwide and Champion’s League football. ITV Digital will screen over 150 live football games and will also package 40 pay per view Premier League games.
During the first half Granada have trialled greater cross-promotion and more co-ordinated scheduling between ITV and ITV2.
As a result, ITV2 posted its strongest ever ratings in the first quarter of 2001 and grew first half advertising revenue. (CD)