M+E Daily

International content creator, producer and distributor ITV Studios has tapped enterprise software platform and data provider Whip Media and its platform for performance tracking of its entertainment content, including ITV’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels.

ITV Studios produces more than 7,000 hours of original programming across 60 labels. ITV Studios, including hit programmes “Love Island,” “I’m a Celebrity,” and “Come Dine With Me.” The company’s global footprint includes the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands, and its catalogue includes 90,000-plus hours of programming distributed to broadcasters and platforms worldwide.

ITV looked to Whip Media after discovering it needed better content performance tracking and distribution analytics, to keep pace with the high volume of reporting internally and via its partners. Whip Media’s solution consolidates and centralises distributors’ partner data across global platforms while automating accounting processes to manage and recognise revenue.

“Our team couldn’t be more excited to help ITV Studios – one of the premiere production and distribution companies in the world – track the performance of its series across a rapidly growing number of platforms,” said Paul Hastings, Whip Media’s SVP of global sales. “As content distribution continues to become increasingly stratified and difficult to manage, it’s imperative for entertainment companies to streamline how their data is analysed and processed. Whip Media’s platform will help ITV Studios accomplish that goal – allowing it to focus on what it does best, which is churning out great series for millions of viewers to enjoy.”

Graham Haigh, EVP of business development and digital distribution for ITV Studios added: “We’re very pleased to be partnering with the Whip Media team and utilise their expertise in this space. The Performance Track tool and the data it will unlock is a key component of ITV Studios overall strategy to expand and grow our digital business across AVOD, FAST and other digital platforms and deepen our understanding of how our content engages with viewers across multiple platforms and territories.”

Content programmers do not currently have visibility into title-level performance across multiple digital platforms, according to Whip, creating data inefficiencies for FAST networks that need this data to make strategic content acquisition and programming decisions. Whip Media solves this problem by mapping FAST network’s performance data to both its linear schedules and internal metadata, creating an automated performance tracking solution for digital linear networks.