ITV and YouTube have announced a distribution and commercial partnership. Under this partnership, ITV will become part of YouTube’s Partner Program and YouTube users will get access to ITV’s premium content from both ITV’s main channel and ITV studios offering hundreds of hours of entertainment.
Alison Lomax, Managing Director, YouTube UK & Ireland, said, “ITV is one of the UK’s most beloved TV broadcasters and is home to a hugely diverse range of content – from I’m A Celebrity to Bullseye. So we are thrilled to be strengthening our partnership, which will see hundreds of hours of programmes available on YouTube for the first time. Through full episodes, clips, compilations and brand-new fan content, audiences will be able to forge even deeper connections with the shows they love.”
Notably, ITV is set to expand its presence on YouTube by offering full episodes of its most popular programs across various genres. Viewers can expect to find hit shows ranging from sports, entertainment, documentaries, reality TV, daytime programming, and news. Some of the highlighted content includes, “I’m A Celebrity,” “An Audience With Kylie,” “Olivia Marries Her Match,” “Ferne McCann: My Family & Me,” classic game shows like “Bullseye” and “You Bet!,” as well as ITV’s renowned soap operas.
Kelly Williams, Managing Director, ITV Commercial, said, “Working with YouTube provides our advertisers with even more ways to engage with audiences in premium brand-safe content from the nation’s best loved TV shows, with a wide selection of targeting options. ITV Commercial’s sales team will be selling the inventory around all our YouTube content, and working alongside ITV Studios and Zoo 55 we will be creating opportunities for clients across a wide span of genres and programmes beyond ITV’s commissioned long form content. I’m also delighted to welcome Abul Noor to our team to spearhead this important development in our digital commercial strategy.”
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director, ITV Media and Entertainment said, “This partnership is part of our continuing strategic approach to maximise reach and viewing opportunities for audiences, wherever they choose to watch, alongside the successful and thriving ITVX, and our market leading commercial TV channels.”