Tech
Updated: 16:04, 16:11, 16:13, 16:16, 17:10
ITV Digital has been put up for sale by Deloitte and Touche, its administrators. A spokeswoman for D&T has confirmed: "The administrators were unable to secure further funding for ITV Digital and are now looking for a quick sale of its assets."
Deloitte and Touche are currently talking to ITV Digital's suppliers - for example those providing pay-tv channels to the operator - about maintaining services on a "short-term basis".
Broadcasting of the free-to-air channels, such as those provided by the BBC, will not be affected.
The Independent Television Commission has made the following statement, saying that should pay-tv operations cease, the licence will automatically be revoked and put back out to tender:
"The ITC regrets that the Administrator is unable to secure funding for an orderly take over of the ITV Digital business. We have informed him that at the point at which pay services cease to be broadcast and the business no longer fulfils the terms of its licences we will put in train arrangements to revoke the licences and proceed to an accelerated re-tender. We expect re-tender to take six weeks.
"The ITC is liaising with Government and the broadcasters to ensure the continued availability to viewers of the digital terrestrial free-to-air public services throughout these processes. We have asked the Administrator to make sure that information about service availability is provided to viewers on the screen."
After talks with regulators, it is now apparent that ITV Digital cannot transfer its licence to broadcast. Put bluntly, it means they have no business to sell.
This means that during the 6 week tender period pay TV channels are likely to be off the air. One speculative sugestion is that Sky might ride to the resuce in a PR move to offer their channels during this period for free while it is all sorted out.
More coming up on Digital Spy as this news story develops.
ITV Digital has been put up for sale by Deloitte and Touche, its administrators. A spokeswoman for D&T has confirmed: "The administrators were unable to secure further funding for ITV Digital and are now looking for a quick sale of its assets."
Deloitte and Touche are currently talking to ITV Digital's suppliers - for example those providing pay-tv channels to the operator - about maintaining services on a "short-term basis".
Broadcasting of the free-to-air channels, such as those provided by the BBC, will not be affected.
The Independent Television Commission has made the following statement, saying that should pay-tv operations cease, the licence will automatically be revoked and put back out to tender:
"The ITC regrets that the Administrator is unable to secure funding for an orderly take over of the ITV Digital business. We have informed him that at the point at which pay services cease to be broadcast and the business no longer fulfils the terms of its licences we will put in train arrangements to revoke the licences and proceed to an accelerated re-tender. We expect re-tender to take six weeks.
"The ITC is liaising with Government and the broadcasters to ensure the continued availability to viewers of the digital terrestrial free-to-air public services throughout these processes. We have asked the Administrator to make sure that information about service availability is provided to viewers on the screen."
After talks with regulators, it is now apparent that ITV Digital cannot transfer its licence to broadcast. Put bluntly, it means they have no business to sell.
This means that during the 6 week tender period pay TV channels are likely to be off the air. One speculative sugestion is that Sky might ride to the resuce in a PR move to offer their channels during this period for free while it is all sorted out.
More coming up on Digital Spy as this news story develops.
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