One of the biggest takeovers in British media history is about to take place — creating a new media company that will be American-owned. Sky, the pay-TV giant owned by Comcast, is expected to buy ITV’s TV and streaming channels, including ITVX, with an announcement likely imminent.
The talks have been running since last year, and the deal would see Sky acquire the broadcast arm of Britain’s most watched commercial public service broadcaster. For Sky, the logic is clear: access to millions of viewers, scale and prominence on a free-to-air platform. The company is believed to want to build a commercial streamer capable of rivalling Netflix and Disney Plus in the UK.
“Sky is set to buy ITV's TV channels in a landmark deal, but free-to-air shows are safe until 2034.”
But Caroline Frost, TV and podcast editor at Radio Times, says viewers need not worry about losing their favourite shows behind a paywall — at least not yet. “Gradually, though, content which might debut on free/live-to-air ITV might end up on a subscription platform,” she warns.
In the short to medium term, the big programmes — Coronation Street, Love Island, Emmerdale, I’m a Celebrity — will look exactly as they do now. They will remain on ITV and ITVX, still made by ITV Studios. That production arm, which owns more than 60 production companies in Britain and around the world, is not being bought by Sky. If the deal goes ahead, ITV Studios will become a standalone company, ITV Studios PLC, still owned by the current ITV shareholders.
Crucially, ITV is required by law to provide a free-to-air service until at least 2034 due to its public service broadcasting licence. That means your favourite shows cannot suddenly be moved behind a subscription wall. However, a “supply deal” is expected to be part of the Sky takeover agreement, ensuring ITV Studios continues to produce those shows and they remain on ITV for now.
Longer term, Sky could decommission some ITV shows or renegotiate contracts Industry observers point to potential savings on the tech side, with ITVX and Sky’s streaming services possibly merged in the future. The deal would create a powerful rival to global streaming giants, but for the millions who tune in to ITV each week, the immediate picture remains unchanged.