UK movie-streaming and rental service LoveFilm has partnered with ITV and BBC Worldwide to give its members instant access to TV titles from the UK’s largest broadcasters.
The news follows hot on the heels of the announcement that its US rival Netflix – soon to be launching in the UK – had signed up BBC Worldwide too, whilst LoveFilm has also signed some significant deals lately, such as with Sony Pictures back in December, and Warner Bros. the month before.
The BBC Worldwide deal give its members streaming access to content from the BBC’s archives, such as Doctor Who, plus programmes commissioned by other UK broadcasters.
LoveFilm is available on a range of devices, such as PCs, Sony PlayStation 3, Apple iPad, Web-enabled TV sets, Blu-ray players and Microsoft Xbox 360.
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As for the ITV deal, this will further bolster LoveFilm’s armory as it prepares to go head-to-head with Netflix when it launches in the UK, and as with BBC Worldwide, members will also be able to access ITV’s archive of shows, including programmes such as Marchlands and Above Suspicion, as well as classic crime series Prime Suspect and Inspector Morse.
The renewed deal with ITV will also add premium TV content to the LoveFilm Instant service – its TV and movie subscription streaming service available across multiple platforms – and strengthens its existing offering of ITV shows.
Simon Calver, CEO of Amazon’s LoveFilm, says:
“”We are thrilled to be bringing together great British TV content with Europe’s leading film subscription service. This gives LoveFilm an even more powerful, unique offering of instant programming for our members to view across a growing number of platforms.”
The online movies-on-demand streaming space is really beginning to heat up now in the UK, after a very active year for the UK market leader in 2011. LoveFilm was acquired by Amazon last January, before inking deals with major Hollywood studios such as Warner Bros and Sony Pictures – as well as independent film distributors such as Entertainment One. Movies-on-demand was also rolled out on Sky Go’s mobile service shortly after HMV announced its very own service, whilst YouTube launched its movie-rental service in the UK last year too.
We’re likely to see a few more deals come to fruition in the next few months, so watch this space.
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