ITV to launch new channel in partnership with Sky

29th Jan 2014 10:46

Broadcaster ITV is set to launch a new pay channel later this year, it announced Wednesday. ITV Encore, which has been created as part of a four-year agreement with Sky, will screen its most successful drama series along with a number of original commissions. The channel, the first to be launched by ITV in eight years, will be available through Sky's platforms, making it ITV's biggest ever partnership with a platform operator. The channel is expected to build on the success of ITV's Drama division in 2013, which saw it increase its share of viewing on the main channel for the first time in a decade. Chief Executive of ITV, Adam Crozier, said: "The time is absolutely right to build on our successful partnership with Sky with the launch of ITV Encore, which will be an important part of ITV's family of channels, and will complement ITV3, home to our long-running, classic drama series. "ITV Encore is right in line with our strategy of growing non-advertising revenues while at the same time creating even greater opportunities to showcase new drama."NR