LiveU has revealed details of its work to support ITVX.
In an aim to boost the programme’s digital-first strategy and engage with younger viewers, ITVX livestreamed Love Island’s official podcast, Love Island: The Morning After as a ‘watch-along’ at the same time as the series’ launch show on ITV2. The podcast was also streamed on YouTube, further expanding its reach.
With a requirement for a flexible, agile cloud workflow able to handle precise live timings and real-time communication, the team selected the LiveU Studio cloud video platform, which streamlined the workflow between Majorca and London.
With linear viewing continuing to decline, the project demonstrated how a combined digital and social ecosystem can widen a show’s impact beyond the main broadcast, as Leon Langdale, technical producer at ITV Studios explained, “Reaching younger audiences means meeting them where they are, and that increasingly means digital and social platforms. Since the show’s relaunch in 2015, viewing habits have undergone a dramatic shift. LiveU enables us to respond quickly and cost-effectively, supporting new formats that engage viewers on their terms.”
A LiveU Video Return server provided a low-latency stream of the main show from Majorca, where the programme is filmed, to a LiveU LU800 unit located in the London facility. Presenters in the studio were able to watch the main show on a monitor via an HDMI output. The podcast feed was sent from the London-based LU800 to LiveU Studio, while another LU800 in Majorca sent the programme feed to the same platform. A picture-in-picture output enabled viewers to watch the podcast alongside the main programme, creating a fully branded show.
Langdale continued, “Typically, the podcast is recorded after the main show and edited overnight for distribution. Going live required additional resilience, orchestration and technical coordination. Voxpod, our podcast production partner, were excellent, and LiveU Studio was central in managing the cloud workflow and ensuring delivery remained efficient and robust.”
For the final episode, a 30-minute live teaser show was aired before the main event, with the workflow using LiveU Studio to orchestrate multiple concurrent streams across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Matthew Stringer, UK sales director, LiveU commented, “Digital-first is no longer just a viewer trend, it’s an expectation. As networks face increased pressure to produce more content with tighter budgets, the LiveU EcoSystem enables broadcasters like ITV to leverage our agile and cost-effective cloud-based production workflows, keeping pace with the industry’s rapidly evolving demands without sacrificing quality. LiveU Studio empowers broadcasters with flexible options to produce live content that complements main coverage and captivates younger viewers who consume across multiple platforms and mobile devices.”
