The number of users who pay to watch ITVX Premium, which includes fewer ads and access to exclusive content, has dropped by a third this year.
- ITVX Premium includes BritBox UK; recently introduced Hayu Select
- Subscriber decline follows end of standalone BritBox UK service
- Decline comes as rival streaming services roll out cheaper ad-supported options.
The number of users who subscribed to ITV’s premium streaming services dropped by a third from 1.3 million to 0.9 million in the six months ending 30th June 2024.
That’s according to figures buried deep in its latest financial report, published this week.
The drop in paying users follows a simplification of its premium streaming service this spring, when it closed down the standalone BritBox UK app. It seems the broadcaster couldn’t pursuade more standalone BritBox UK users to switch across to ITVX Premium, which also includes BritBox alongside exclusive collections from Hayu Select and Studiocanal Presents.
ITVX Premium also offers fewer or no ads to users viewing on-demand programmes. It currently costs £5.99 a month or £59.99 for an annual subscription.
ITV said it expected the move would have a “short-term impact on subscriptions and our subscription revenue”. But the numbers “had performed as expected.”
However, the broadcaster admitted that in the coming two years the company would “prioritise” its “ad-funded proposition over our pay proposition to deliver the best return.”
ITV’s plans for the year ahead
In the coming year, ITVX will launch on Apple Vision Pro – Apple’s new Virtual Reality device. ITV also plans to boost the discoverability of ITVX on third-party platforms.
It plans to do this by “creating additional links that bring users directly into ITVX from the main screens of their devices”. The broadcaster wouldn’t provide further details about these plans.
Towards the end of 2024 and into 2025 ITV has confirmed it will launch linear addressable advertising on Sky Glass and Sky Stream. It will also roll-out ad replacement across our FAST (streaming only) channels and simulcast on connected TVs.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: ITVX Screenshot