ITN has signed a contract to supply online news to ITV, covering
sectors such as domestic, international, sport and entertainment.
The news supplier is also set to relaunch ITN.co.uk as a portal with
fast links to ITV's website and to the online news services it provides
for Channels 4, 5 and radio operation LBC.
ITV's own online offering, ITV.com - a planned merger between parts of
Carlton Interactive Media and Granada Broadband - is not expected to
launch its consumer site before the end of the year.
ITN, best-known for supplying TV news to commercial stations, has been
increasing emphasis on internet operations with terrestrial clients.
ITN new media commercial director Phillipa Edward said: 'ITN has
successfully migrated the revenue model of its core TV and radio
contracts to its new media business, delivering a solid commercial
foundation at a time when much of the sector is simply abandoning the
new media space.'
The ITV online service will be put together by a dedicated team of
itn.co.uk journalists under ITN new media editor George Parker-Jervis.
The Channel 4 online service is a co-production between that team and
ITN journalists in the Channel 4 newsroom.
The new-look ITN news portal also includes SmartVR, the website's
'virtual newsroom'. ITN platforms manager Adrian Pryce said: 'ITN has
already learnt how important it is to offer users a variety of formats
through which they can access news. Formats need to be fresh, innovative
and, where possible, interactive.'
In addition to supplying news for Channel 4 News, 5 News and LBC, ITN
produces news in seven languages for its own pan-European channel,
EuroNews.
The relaunched ITN.co.uk will also include extensive company information
on ITN for the first time.
