STV, Virgin Media Sign Four-year Strategic Partnership For Scotland Customers

(RTTNews) - STV Group PLC (STVG.L) announced Monday that it has signed a four-year strategic partnership with Virgin Media, Inc. (VMED.L, VMED).

The company said the partnership will see Virgin TV customers in Scotland having access to fully regionalised versions of STV in HD for the first time.

The agreement, which results in a new commercial relationship between the two companies, includes the launch of STV Player on Virgin Media's set top boxes, also for the first time, as well as an enhanced marketing commitment from Virgin Media on STV's services.

Under the deal, Virgin Media will broadcast STV in HD in all cabled STV regions, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, on EPG slot 103. It includes enhanced promotion for STV's brand and programmes on Virgin Media's set top boxes as well as through Virgin Media's customer channels

The deal includes integration of the STV Player app and STV catch up programming on Virgin Media set top boxes for the first time. It also gives increased marketing presence for Virgin Media on STV's services.

Simon Pitts, CEO of STV, said, "Virgin Media's TV platform is very popular right across Scotland and we're delighted to be enhancing our partnership and extending the reach of STV's fantastic programmes through this innovative, long term agreement. We'll be giving our Virgin viewers two "firsts", the launch of STV Player and the launch of all STV regional variants in full HD, allowing Scottish audiences to access our popular shows however and whenever they want them."