ITV reveals advertising plans for ITV.com

ITV has unveiled plans for advertising on the delayed relaunch of its broadband site, ITV.com. Its offer will include clickable video ads, video pre-roll, bespoke advertising around non-live content, sponsorship of made for broadband content and banner ads.

The broadcaster unveiled the site today (Tuesday) ahead of a public launch of the site, which is expected “within weeks”. It has not revealed details of who the launch advertisers will be.

ITV.com will offer viewers live streaming of ITV’s channels, a 30-day catch-up service, archive material, behind the scenes content, broadband-only programing and user-generated content and news services.

It also plans to launch a range of classic TV gameshows, including Catchphrase and Family Fortunes, which will allow viewers to join in and play for money. It will also show FA Cup footage will be shown on broadband and over mobile when it takes over the broadcast rights from BBC in 2008.

Executive chairman Michael Grade says the service will be “unrivalled” by any other commercial broadcaster globally. He adds: “Some are already streaming their channels, some are providing catch-up, and some building their archive, but ITV.com will provide all three. This launch is a major step in ITV’s development.”

Earlier this year, ITV poached Telegraph new media director Annelies van den Belt to run the broadband division ahead of the launch (MW January 4). The simulcast service, first mooted for March, was to be the first “free”, ad-funded but Channel 4 has since introduced advertising to its online streamed content.