ITV implements virtual channel solution from Unified Stre...

ITV, the British media and broadcasting company, announces that it is now using Unified Virtual Channel from Unified Streaming to stream nearly one dozen FAST (free ad-supported television) channels.

Unified Virtual Channel is a software-only solution that turns existing video-on-demand (VOD) assets, aka catalog or archive content, into new live, linear streams. Mimicking the feel and familiarity of traditional broadcast television, the tech enables customers to launch channels that are customizable, localizable, and monetizable.

Eleven of ITV's popular archive content channels operate now as Unified Virtual Channel-powered FAST channels: ITVX Kids; The 1% Club; The Only Way Is Essex TV; Love Island; The Chase; Saturday Night, Every Night; Reality 24/7; Comedy 24/7; Vera; Midsomer Murders; and ITVSigned, which in 2022 became the world's first channel to offer all of its content signed with British Sign Language.

Switching to Unified Virtual Channel was the biggest change the large British company had made to their video streams for a very long time.

Cost-effectiveness, according to ITV, was the main motivator for adopting Unified Streaming's technology. The British broadcaster's legacy infrastructure for its ITVX FAST channels, involving encoders and distribution systems, was seen as needlessly expensive.

In early 2025 ITV began replacing its traditional pipeline with a packager-based approach, integrating Unified Streaming's Unified Virtual Channel. Coding and testing ensured that the playout solution worked well with the functioning of ITV's ad insertion, digital rights management (DRM), and accessibility technologies, and that it would operate smoothly with the widest-possible range of devices.

Cost-effectiveness wasn't the only reason for ITV's conversion. The availability of support, insight, and knowledge from Unified Streaming's team played a significant role in ITV's move to select Unified Virtual Channel, instead of one of sundry products from competitors.

ITV reports that viewers have noticed no changes, and that, internally, the transformation has been a quiet one, too, without crises or emergencies. ITV personnel who schedule the channels have also seen their workload eased, due to the integration of the Unified Streaming solution.

Unified Streaming has supplied streaming software to ITV since 2018.

The project of integrating Unified Virtual Channel was delivered together with Eyevinn Technology, who supplied engineers for the plan, and Unified's partner JWP Connatix, who provided ITV with both advice and DRM technology.

For us, making such a big switch, from the previous setup, to Unified Virtual Channel, meant taking on risk. Integrating a whole new product is always like that, but ultimately the effort is worth the gain. Thanks to Unified's team, who collaborated with our team every step of the way, the transformation was smooth. Unified Virtual Channel not only works seamlessly on playout, it also integrates flawlessly with our DRM and our SSAI (server-side ad insertion) systems. We continue to target a huge range of devices and unlock the ability to further scale our VOD catalogue, said Mark Ison, Director of Engineering, ITV.

From our earliest conversations, ITV made it clear they were willing to try something new. Their methodical approach, clear communication, and their hands-on effort from product owners, engineers, and ops meant we could work side-by-side to make this project a success. We encountered integration challenges along the way, all of which were resolved through close collaboration, and without affecting delivery. The result is a streaming solution, with Unified Virtual Channel at its heart, that integrates with their existing DRM and SSAI platforms, while meeting a wide range of device requirements to deliver FAST channels in a reliable, cost-effective way. It was the people not the technology who made this partnership. And we're proud of what we built together, said Jamie Fletcher, Senior Solution Engineer, Unified Streaming.

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