ITV has announced that its major new free streaming service ITVX will boast 9,000 hours of content when it launches later this year.
A replacement for the ITV Hub, ITVX will mark a significant change in strategy for the broadcaster as it will premiere a significant range of shows on the service at least six months before they air on the conventional ITV channels.
Among the shows in line for that treatment are new Damian Lewis thriller A Spy Among Friends, new teen drama Tell Me Everything and Vicky McClure thriller Without Sin, all of which will be available at launch. Thereafter ITVX will premiere at least one new flagship show every week.
Also in the plans for launch are 150 hours of true crime programming, the UK's "largest free film library" with more than 250 movies and a sci-fi and fantasy collection.
For a monthly subscription fee - yet to be confirmed - users will gain the ability to remove all advertising from the service, apart from on live TV channel streams, as well as access an additional 6,000 hours of content from BritBox.
An exact launch date for ITVX has yet to be confirmed, although it is expected to go live just before the World Cup begins in November.
Follow us on Twitter @SMEntsFeed and like us on Facebook for the latest entertainment news alerts.
