Editing ITV Digital (section)

==History==
{{see also|Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom#History}}
[[File:British Digital Broadcasting logo.png|thumb|British Digital Broadcasting logo (1997–1998)]]
On 31 January 1997, [[Carlton Television]], [[Granada Television]] and satellite company [[British Sky Broadcasting]] (BSkyB) together created British Digital Broadcasting (BDB) as a [[joint venture]], and applied to operate three [[digital terrestrial television]] (DTT) licences.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onhistory.co.uk/timeline/1997/01/31/carlton-granada-and-bskyb-form-british-digital-bro|title=Carlton, Granada, and BSkyB form British Digital Broadcasting}}</ref> They faced competition from a rival, Digital Television Network (DTN), a company created by cable operator CableTel (later known as [[NTL Incorporated|NTL]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/british-digital-broadcasting-targets-1-million-viewers-1276296.html|title=British Digital Broadcasting targets 1 million viewers}}</ref> On 25 June 1997, BDB won the auction and the [[Independent Television Commission]] (ITC) awarded the sole broadcast licence for DTT to the consortium. Then on 20 December 1997, the ITC awarded three [[pay television|pay-TV]] digital multiplex licences to BDB.

That same year, however, the ITC forced BSkyB out of the consortium on competition grounds; this effectively placed Sky in direct competition with the new service as Sky would also launch its digital satellite service in 1998, although Sky was still required to provide key channels such as [[Sky Movies]] and [[Sky Sports]] to BDB.<ref>Itv Big Two lead digital revolution. Eric Reguly and Carol Midgley. The Times, Wednesday, 25 June 1997</ref> With Sky as part of the consortium, British Digital Broadcasting would have paid discounted rates to carry Sky's television channels. Instead, with its positioning as a competitor, Sky charged the full market rates for the channels, at an extra cost of around £60million a year to BDB.<ref>{{cite episode | title = Monkey Business | series = [[The Money Programme]] | network = BBC Two | airdate = 2002-06-12 | minutes = 14}}</ref> On 28 July 1998, BDB announced the service would be called ONdigital,<ref>{{cite news |date= 28 July 1998|title= UK Digital turn on for ONdigital|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/140880.stm|work= BBC News|access-date= 24 September 2018}}</ref> and claimed it would be the biggest television brand launch in history.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/140824.stm|title=BBC News – UK – D-day for digital TV|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> The company would be based in [[Marco Polo House]] (since demolished) in Battersea, south London, which was previously the home of BSkyB's earlier rival, [[British Satellite Broadcasting]] (BSB).

Six [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexes]] were set up, with three of them allocated to the existing [[Analog television|analogue]] broadcasters. The other three multiplexes were auctioned off. ONdigital was given one year from the award of the licence to launch the first DTT service. In addition to launching audio and video services, it also led the specification of an industry-wide advanced interactive engine, based on [[MHEG-5]]. This was an open standard that was used by all broadcasters on DTT.

===The launch===
[[File:Ondigitallogo.svg|right|thumb|upright=0.7|ONdigital logo from 1998 to 2001]]
ONdigital was officially launched on 15 November 1998 amid a large public ceremony featuring celebrity [[Ulrika Jonsson]] and fireworks around the [[Crystal Palace transmitting station]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/214809.stm|title=BBC News – The Company File – First shots in Digital TV war|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Its competitor [[Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)|Sky Digital]] had already debuted on 1 October.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/edinburgh_festival/161218.stm|title=BBC News – Edinburgh Festival – Digital TV makers plan cheaper packages|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> The service launched with 12 primary channels, which included the new [[BBC Choice]] and [[ITV2]] channels; a subscription package featuring channels such as [[Sky One]], [[Cartoon Network (British and Irish TV channel)|Cartoon Network]], [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]], [[UKTV]] channels and many developed in-house by Carlton and Granada such as [[Carlton World]]; premium channels including [[Sky Sports]] 1 and 3 (later including 2), [[Sky Cinema|Sky Premier and Sky MovieMax]]; and the newly launched [[FilmFour]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ondigital-line-up-and-launch-date-unveiled-1201238.html|title=ONdigital line-up and launch date unveiled}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.mediatel.co.uk/newsline/1998/09sep/28/ondig.htm
 |title        = ONdigital Announces Channel Packages And Launch Date
 |date         = 28 September 1998
 |publisher    = MediaTel
 |access-date  = 4 March 2007
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20020420235529/http://www.mediatel.co.uk/newsline/1998/09sep/28/ondig.htm
 |archive-date = 20 April 2002
 |url-status     = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/media-ondigital-challenge-sky-unfazed-supply-problems-its-set-top-boxes-pay-tv-company-ondigital-remains-optimistic-its-recent-launch-its-power/60262|title=MEDIA: ONdigital to challenge Sky – Unfazed by supply problems with its set-top boxes, pay-TV company ONdigital remains optimistic about its recent launch and its power to compete with Sky, writes Conor Dignam}}</ref>

From the beginning, however, the company was quickly losing money. Supply problems with set-top boxes meant that the company missed Christmas sales and retailers had to wait several months for the customers to receive their boxes. Meanwhile, aggressive marketing by BSkyB for Sky Digital made the ONdigital offer look unattractive. The new digital satellite service provided a dish, [[Digibox (Sky Digital)|digibox]], installation and around 200 channels for £159, a lower price than ONdigital at £199. Sky had also launched earlier, meaning they had a head start over the ONdigital service. ONdigital's subscription pricing had been set to compare with the older Sky [[analogue television|analogue]] service of 20 channels.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/142310.stm|title=BBC News – Entertainment – BSkyB to woo digital market|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> In 1999, digital cable services were launched by [[NTL Incorporated|NTL]], [[Telewest]] and [[Cable & Wireless plc|Cable & Wireless]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/323190.stm|title=BBC News – Entertainment – Digital cable TV 'will be a hit'|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

In February 1999, [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] secured the rights for [[UEFA Champions League]] football matches for four years,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/feb/25/broadcasting3|title=Timeline: a history of TV football rights|date=25 February 2003|website=The Guardian}}</ref> which would partly be broadcast through ONdigital.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bufton |first=Jonathan |date=1 January 2001 |title=ONtrack again |url=https://www.transdiffusion.org/2001/01/01/ontrack |access-date=27 July 2022 |website=Transdiffusion}}</ref> Two sports channels were added to the platform, Champions ON 28 and Champions ON 99 (later renamed ONsport 1 and ONsport 2 when it secured the rights to [[Association of Tennis Professionals|ATP]] tennis games), the latter of which timeshared with [[Carlton Cinema (TV channel)|Carlton Cinema]]. Throughout 1999, channels including [[MTV (British and Irish TV channel)|MTV]] and [[British Eurosport]] launched on the platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://625.uk.com/digital/|title=Digital TV|first=Andrew|last=Wiseman|website=625.uk.com}}</ref> The exclusive [[Carlton Kids]] and [[Carlton World]] channels closed in 2000 to make way for two [[Discovery Channel (British and Irish TV channel)|Discovery]] channels.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McIntosh |first=Bill |date=1999-12-22 |title=Discovery channels boost ONdigital |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/discovery-channels-boost-ondigital-1134114.html |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

ONdigital reported in April 1999 that it had 110,000 subscribers, while Sky Digital had over 350,000 by that time.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> By March 2000, there were 673,000 ONdigital customers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/analysis-brand-spend-analysis-ondigital-will-continue-spend-heavily-itv-vies-sky-viewers/31435|title=Analysis: Brand spend analysis – ONdigital will continue to spend heavily on ITV as it vies with Sky for viewers}}</ref>

The first interactive digital service was launched in mid-1999, called ONgames. On 7 March 2000, [[ONmail]] was launched which provided an interactive [[e-mail]] service.<ref>{{cite web
    | url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=53031
    | title = Ondigital on course for 1 million customers
    | publisher = PR Newswire
}}</ref> A deal with multiplex operator [[S4C Digital Networks|SDN]] led to the launch of [[pay-per-view]] service ONrequest on 1 May 2000. In June 2000, ONoffer was launched. On 18 September 2000, the [[internet]] TV service ONnet was launched.<ref>{{cite web
    | url   = http://www.e-repair.co.uk/story36.htm
    | title = ONnet Hits The Streets With More Than 40 Brands On Board
    | date  = 18 September 2000
|publisher=Service Engineers Forum
}}</ref>

On 17 June 2000, ONdigital agreed to a £315 million three-year deal with the [[English Football League|Football League]] to broadcast 88 live Nationwide League and [[EFL Cup|Worthington Cup]] matches from the 2001–02 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/163-315m-nets-ondigital-and-itv-league-rights-1-462058|title=£315m nets ONdigital and ITV League rights}}</ref>

===Setbacks===
In 1999, Sky started to give away their digiboxes for free whilst the customer subscribed. This was a problem for ONdigital, as they had no choice but to sell prepaid set top boxes to win customers back from rival services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1896732.stm|title=ITV Digital goes broke|year=2002}}</ref> Even when they decided to sell prepaid set top boxes (under the ONprepaid brand), they could not easily compete with Sky.

ONdigital's growth slowed throughout 2000, and by the start of 2001 the number of subscribers was no longer increasing; meanwhile, its competitor Sky Digital oversaw a dramatic increase in subscribers, spearheaded by the launch of interactive services, such as [[Open...]] and [[Sky Gamestar]], and the launch of rival cable digital services from the likes of NTL and Telewest ate into ONdigital's subscriber numbers. The ONdigital management team responded with a series of free set-top box promotions, initially at retailers such as [[Currys]] and [[Dixons (online)|Dixons]], when ONdigital receiving equipment was purchased at the same time as a television set or similarly priced piece of equipment. These offers eventually became permanent, with the set-top box loaned to the customer at no charge for as long as they continued to subscribe to ONdigital, an offer that was matched by Sky. ONdigital's [[churn rate]], a measure of the number of subscribers leaving the service, reached 28% during 2001.<ref>{{cite episode | title = Monkey Business | series = [[The Money Programme]] | network = BBC Two | airdate = 2002-06-12 | minutes = 19}}</ref>

Additional problems for ONdigital were the choice of [[64QAM]] broadcast mode, which when coupled with far weaker than expected broadcast power, meant that the signal was weak in many areas; a complex pricing structure with many options; a poor-quality subscriber management system (adapted from [[Canal+ (French TV channel)|Canal+]]); a paper magazine TV guide whereas BSkyB had an [[Electronic program guide|electronic programme guide]] (EPG); insufficient technical customer services; and much [[Pirate decryption|signal piracy]]. While there was a limited return path provided via an in-built 2400 baud [[modem]], there was no requirement, as there was with BSkyB, to connect the set-top box's modem to a phone line.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

With this combination of factors contributing to the service's lack of popularity, in 2001, executives at ONdigital management wrote a letter to the government, asking for emergency funding to finance the service in order to keep it alive due to a lack of customers and paying members.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

==== Loaned equipment ====
[[File:ONdigitalcard.jpg|thumb|ONdigital viewing card]]
ONdigital began to sell prepaid set-top boxes (under the name ONprepaid) from November 1999 in order to win customers, especially at the launch of other digital services from the likes of [[NTL Incorporated|NTL]] and [[Telewest]]. This bundle sold in high street shops and supermarkets at a price that included the set-top box (which was technically on loan) and the first year's subscription package.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/ondigital-prepaid-digital-boxes-go-sales-uk-wide/43434|title=ONdigital prepaid digital boxes go sales UK-wide}}</ref> These prepaid boxes amounted to 50% of sales in December 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/jan/12/14|title=ONdigital reports 34% rise in sales|first=Terry|last=Macalister|date=12 January 2000|website=The Guardian}}</ref> Thousands of these packages were also sold at well below retail price on auction sites such as the then-popular [[Tradus|QXL]]. As the call to activate the viewing card did not require any bank details, many ONdigital boxes which were supposed to be on loan were at unverifiable addresses. This was later changed so a customer could not buy a box without ONdigital verifying their address. Many customers did not activate the viewing card at all, although where the viewer's address was known, ONdigital would write informing them that they must activate before a certain deadline.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}

==== Piracy ====
The ONdigital [[pay-per-view]] channels were encrypted using a system – [[Nagra France|SECA]] [[MediaGuard]] – which had subsequently been cracked by hackers working for NDS Group, the makers of the [[VideoGuard]] system that Sky Digital used. ONdigital did not update this system, therefore it was possible to produce and sell counterfeit subscription cards which would give access to all the channels.<ref>{{cite news
    | url       = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1879859.stm
    | title     = Tempting the digital refuseniks
    | date      = 19 March 2002
    | work = BBC News
}}</ref> About 100,000 pirate cards were in circulation by 2002, and these played a role in the demise of the broadcaster that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1393115/Background-to-failure-of-the-digital-dream.html|title=Background to failure of the digital dream|year=2002}}</ref>

===Rebranding===
In April 2001 it was said that ONdigital would be 'relaunched' to bring it closer to the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network and to better compete with Sky.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1292510.stm|title=Ondigital 'faces relaunch'|date=23 April 2001|work=BBC News}}</ref> On 11 July 2001 Carlton and Granada rebranded ONdigital as '''ITV Digital'''.<ref>{{cite news
    | url       = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/new_media/1433671.stm
    | title     = Ondigital relaunches as ITV Digital
    | date      = 11 July 2001
    | work = BBC News
}}</ref>

Other services were also rebranded, such as ONnet to ITV Active.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1433671.stm|title=Ondigital relaunches as ITV Digital|date=11 July 2001|work=BBC News}}</ref> A rebranding campaign was launched, with customers being sent ITV Digital stickers to place over the ONdigital logos on their remote controls and set top boxes. The software running on the receivers was not changed, however, and continued to display 'ON' on nearly every screen. However, iDTVs made after the rebrand removed the 'ON' prefix from their software. Option 7 on the main menu on iDTVs was also renamed from "ONdigital Updates" to "Subscription Information".

The rebrand was not without controversy, as [[STV Group|SMG plc]] (owner of [[Scottish Television]] and [[Grampian Television]]), [[UTV (TV channel)|UTV]] and [[ITV Channel Television|Channel Television]] pointed out that the ITV brand did not belong solely to Carlton and Granada. SMG and UTV initially refused to carry the advertising campaign for ITV Digital and did not allow the ITV Sport Channel space on their multiplex, thus it was not available at launch in most of Scotland and Northern Ireland. The case was resolved in Scotland<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/101067/itv-digital-gets-support-from-smg
 |title        = ITV Digital gets support from SMG
 |date         = 28 September 2001
 |publisher    = Sport Business
 |access-date  = 2 March 2007
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070320045523/http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/101067/itv-digital-gets-support-from-smg
 |archive-date = 20 March 2007
 |url-status     = dead}}</ref> and the Channel Islands and later still in Northern Ireland, allowing ITV Sport to launch in the non-Carlton and Granada regions, although it was never made available in the Channel Islands, where there was no DTT or cable,{{citation needed|date=March 2018}} and it never appeared on Sky Digital.

Later in 2001, [[ITV Sport Channel]] was announced. This would be a premium sport channel, and would broadcast English football games as per the company's deal with the Football League in 2000, as well as ATP tennis games and Champions League games previously covered by ONsport 1 and ONsport 2. The channel launched on 11 August of that year, and was also carried on cable by [[NTL Incorporated|NTL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/ondigital-plans-premium-sports-channel/12934|title=ONdigital plans premium sports channel}}</ref>

===Downfall===
The service reached 1 million subscribers by January 2001, whereas Sky Digital had 5.7 million. Granada reported £69 million in losses in the first six months of 2001, leading some investors to urge it to close or sell ONdigital/ITV Digital.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1409758.stm|title=Granada urged to ditch ONdigital|date=27 June 2001|work=BBC News}}</ref> ITV Digital was unable to make a deal to put the ITV Sport Channel on Sky, which could have given the channel access to millions of Sky customers and generated income; the channel was only licensed to cable company [[NTL Incorporated|NTL]]. Subscriptions for ONnet/ITV Active, its internet service, peaked at around 100,000 customers.<ref>Digital Terrestrial Television in Europe edited by Allan Brown, Robert G. Picard</ref> ITV Digital had a 12% share of digital subscribers as of December 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1702272.stm|title=A cold climate for digital TV|date=11 December 2001|work=BBC News}}</ref> ITV Digital and Granada cut jobs that month.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1711919.stm|title=ITV Digital to cut 550 jobs|date=14 December 2001|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1815745.stm|title=Viewers desert ITV Digital|date=12 February 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> By 2002, the company was thought to be losing up to £1 million per day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://citywire.co.uk/money/itv-digital-administrators-offered-extra-time/a236883|title=ITV Digital administrators offered extra time}}</ref>

In February 2002, Carlton and Granada said that ITV Digital needed an urgent "fundamental restructuring".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1843673.stm|title=ITV Digital in crisis, owners say|date=27 February 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> The biggest cost the company faced was its three-year deal with the Football League,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1853678.stm|title=ITV Digital's flickering future|date=5 March 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1855280.stm|title=ITV Digital football contract 'binding'|date=5 March 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> which had been deemed too expensive by critics when agreed, as it was inferior to the top-flight [[Premier League|Premiership]] coverage from [[Sky Sports]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/championship/3020803/ITVs-expensive-miscalculation.html|title=ITV's expensive miscalculation|first=Paul|last=Fox|date=26 March 2002|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> It was reported on 21 March 2002 that ITV Digital had proposed paying only £50 million for the remaining two years of the Football League deal, a reduction of £129m. Chiefs from the League said that any reduction in the payment could threaten the existence of many football clubs, which had budgeted for large incomes from the television contract.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1884853.stm|title=Football chiefs reject ITV deal|date=21 March 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref>

===Administration===
On 27 March 2002, ITV Digital was placed in [[administration (law)|administration]] as it was unable to pay the full amount due to the Football League.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1896732.stm|title=ITV Digital goes broke|date=27 March 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> Later, as chances of its survival remained bleak, the Football League sued Carlton and Granada, claiming that the firms had breached their contract in failing to deliver the guaranteed income. On 1 August the league lost the case, with the judge ruling that it had "failed to extract sufficient written guarantees".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2165700.stm|title=League loses football cash battle|date=1 August 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> The league then filed a negligence claim against its own lawyers for failing to press for a written guarantee at the time of the deal with ITV Digital. From this, in June 2006, it was awarded a paltry £4 in damages of the £150m it was seeking.<ref>{{cite news
    | url       = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5109254.stm
    | title     = Football League loses damages bid
    | date      = 23 June 2006
    | work = BBC News
}}</ref> The collapse put in doubt the government's ambition to switch off analogue terrestrial TV signals by 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/mar/28/broadcasting.itvdigital1|title=ITV Digital staggers towards collapse|first1=John|last1=Cassy|first2=Matt|last2=Wells|date=28 March 2002|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

Despite several interested parties, the administrators were unable to find a buyer for the company and effectively put it into [[liquidation]] on 26 April 2002.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2760880/ITV-Digital-faces-closure-within-days.html|title=ITV Digital faces closure 'within days'|first=George |last=Trefgarne |date=25 April 2002|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> Most subscription channels stopped broadcasting on ITV Digital on 1 May 2002 at 7 am, with only free-to-air services continuing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/05/01/itv_digital_rip/|title=ITV Digital RIP|website=[[The Register]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1961209.stm|title=Race to find digital broadcaster|date=1 May 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> The next day, ITV chief executive [[Stuart Prebble]] quit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1963455.stm|title=Top man at ITV quits|date=2 May 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> In all, 1,500 jobs were lost by ITV Digital's collapse.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/media-leisure/bskyb-needs-150-000-itv-customers-to-recoup-163-70m-1-950236 |title=BSkyB needs 150,000 ITV customers to recoup £70m}}</ref> ITV Digital was eventually placed into liquidation on 18 October, with debts of £1.25 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gibson|first=Owen|date=2003-01-21|title=ITV bosses box clever over set-top giveaway|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/jan/21/broadcasting.itvdigital|access-date=2020-09-29|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

===Post-collapse===
By 30 April 2002, the [[Independent Television Commission]] (ITC) had revoked ITV Digital's broadcasting licence and started looking for a buyer. A consortium made up of the [[BBC]] and [[Crown Castle]] submitted an application on 13 June,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/06_june/13/digital_terrestrial.shtml|title=BBC – Press Office – Digital Terrestrial|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> later joined by BSkyB, and were awarded the licence on 4 July.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1399251/BBC-wins-ex-ITV-digital-licences.html|title=BBC wins ex-ITV digital licences|date=3 July 2002|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> They launched the [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] service on 30 October 2002, offering 30 free-to-air TV channels and 20 free-to-air radio channels including several interactive channels such as [[BBC Red Button]] and [[Teletext]], but no subscription or premium services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2373143.stm|title=Freeview's 'fresh start' for digital TV|date=30 October 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> Those followed on 31 March 2004 when [[Top Up TV]] began broadcasting 11 [[pay TV]] channels in [[timeshare]]d broadcast slots.

From 10 December 2002, ITV Digital's liquidators started to ask customers to return their set top boxes or pay a £39.99 fee.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2561331.stm|title=Viewers told to return set-top boxes|date=10 December 2002|work=BBC News}}</ref> Had this been successful, it could have threatened to undermine the fledgling Freeview service, since at the time most digital terrestrial receivers in households were ONdigital and ITV Digital legacy hardware. In January 2003, Carlton and Granada stepped in and paid £2.8m to the liquidators to allow the boxes to stay with their customers, because at the time the ITV companies received a discount on their broadcasting licence payments based on the number of homes they had converted to digital television. It was also likely done to avoid further negativity towards the two companies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2675071.stm|title=ITV Digital viewers 'can keep' boxes|date=19 September 2018|work=BBC News}}</ref>

During the time under administration, Carlton and Granada were in talks regarding a merger, which was eventually cleared in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2865417/ITV-cleared-for-a-united-kingdom.html|title=ITV cleared for a united kingdom|first=David|last=Litterick|date=7 October 2003|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>

====Effect on football clubs====
[[File:Valley Parade Mainstand 2016.jpg|thumb|ITV Digital's collapse contributed to Bradford City F.C. being put into administration]]
Following the proposed Football League merger, with the lucrative finances it proposed, ITV Digital's collapse had a large effect on many football clubs. [[Bradford City F.C.]] was one of the affected, and its debt forced it into administration in May 2002,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/bradford-ready-for-greatest-comeback-in-clubs-history-183252.html|title=Bradford ready for greatest comeback in club's history}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/3027857/Bradford-City-put-into-administration.html|title=Bradford City put into administration|date=16 May 2002}}</ref> followed by [[Leicester City]] in [[2002–03 Leicester City F.C. season|October]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Leicester City put into administration |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2349397.stm |url-status=live |publisher=BBC News |date=22 October 2002 |access-date=25 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040603130230/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2349397.stm |archive-date=3 June 2004}}</ref>

[[Barnsley F.C.]] also entered administration in October 2002, despite the club making a profit for the twelve years prior to the collapse of ITV Digital.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/oct/03/newsstory.sport10|title=Barnsley go into administration|last=Staff and agencies|date=3 October 2002|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name=BarnsleyRecord>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/itv-digital-collapse-almost-destroyed-us---1026759|title=ITV Digital collapse almost destroyed us – now I fear SPL sides could suffer same fate, warns ex-Barnsley chairman|website=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]|date=10 June 2009|access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> Barnsley had budgeted on the basis that the money from the ITV Digital deal would be received, leaving a £2.5 million shortfall in their accounts when the broadcaster collapsed.<ref name=BarnsleyRecord/>

Clubs were forced to slash staff, and some players were forced to be sold as they were unable to pay them. Some clubs increased ticket prices for fans to offset the losses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk/articles/the-effect-of-the-itv-digital-collapse-on-lower-league-football|title=The Effect of the ITV Digital Collapse on Lower League Football|date=12 March 2014}}</ref>

The rights to show [[Football League]] matches were resold to [[Sky Sports]] for £95 million for the next four years compared to £315 million over three years from ITV Digital, leading to a reduction from £2 million per season to £700,000 in broadcasting revenue for First Division clubs.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2097852.stm |title=Football League agrees £95m TV deal |date=5 July 2002 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref name=Earthquake>{{cite web|url=http://twohundredpercent.net/earthquake-the-collapse-of-itv-digital/|title=Earthquake: The Collapse of ITV Digital|website=twohundredpercent.net|access-date=30 September 2019|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201050646/https://twohundredpercent.net/earthquake-the-collapse-of-itv-digital/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In total, fourteen [[Football League]] clubs were placed in administration within four years of the collapse of ITV Digital, compared to four in the four years before.<ref name=Earthquake/>

====News Corporation hacking allegations====
On 31 March 2002, French cable company [[Canal+ (French TV channel)|Canal+]] accused [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] in the United States of extracting the UserROM code from its [[MediaGuard]] encryption cards and leaking it onto the internet.<ref>{{cite news 
  | last = Cassy
  | first = John 
  |author2=Paul Murphy 
  | title = How codebreakers cracked the secrets of the smart card 
  | newspaper = The Guardian
  | date = 13 March 2002
  | url = https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2002/mar/13/media.citynews
  | access-date = 2008-02-25
  | location=London}}</ref>

[[File:Rupertmurdoch.jpg|thumb|upright|Rupert Murdoch possibly used hacking to indirectly weaken ITV Digital]]
Canal+ brought a lawsuit against News Corporation alleging that it, through its subsidiary [[NDS Group|NDS]] (which provides encryption technology for Sky and other TV services from Murdoch), had been working on breaking the MediaGuard smartcards used by Canal+, ITV Digital and other non-Murdoch-owned TV companies throughout Europe.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2758371/ITV-Digital-set-to-sue-Murdoch.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Neil | last=Bennett | title=ITV Digital set to sue Murdoch | date=31 March 2002}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-874199-murdochs-nds-faces-1bn-lawsuit.do |title = Murdoch's NDS faces $1bn lawsuit - News - London Evening Standard |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505084119/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-874199-murdochs-nds-faces-1bn-lawsuit.do |archive-date=5 May 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The action was later partially dropped after News Corporation agreed to buy Canal+'s struggling Italian operation [[Telepiu]], a direct rival to a Murdoch-owned company in that country.<ref>{{cite news 
  | title = Vivendi settles row with NDS
  | newspaper = The Guardian
  | date = 2 May 2003
  | url = https://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/may/02/5
  | access-date = 2008-05-20
  | location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news 
  | last = Tryhorn 
  | first = Chris  
  | title = Murdoch lines up Sky Italia
  | newspaper = The Guardian
  | date = 30 April 2002
  | url = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/apr/30/broadcasting.rupertmurdoch
  | access-date = 2008-05-20
  | location=London}}</ref> 
<!-- This doesn't tally with source although there is suggestion that the case was not closed -needs sourcing better.-->

Other legal action by [[EchoStar]]/NagraStar was being pursued as late as August 2005, accusing NDS of the same wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite news 
  | last =  Sullivan
  | first = Bob 
  | title = Pay-TV piracy flap intensifies
  | publisher = [[NBC News]]
  | url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/3078546
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305163031/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3078546
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = 5 March 2016
  | access-date = 2008-02-25 }}</ref> In 2008, NDS was found to have broken piracy laws by hacking EchoStar Communications' smart card system, however only $1,500 in statutory damages was awarded.<ref>{{cite magazine 
  | title = EchoStar Wins Battle, Loses War In News Corp. Piracy Case
  | magazine = Multichannel News
  | url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6561344.html
  | access-date = 2008-06-21 }}</ref>

On 26 March 2012, an investigation from BBC's ''[[Panorama (British TV programme)|Panorama]]'' found evidence that one of News Corporation's subsidiaries sabotaged ITV Digital. It found that NDS hacked ONdigital/ITV Digital smartcard data and leaked them through a pirate website under Murdoch's control – actions which enabled pirated cards to flood the market.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/news/a373442/news-corps-nds-accused-of-itv-digital-hack/|title=NDS accused of ITV Digital card hack|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=27 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-17494723|title=Murdoch firm accused of hacking|date=27 March 2012|publisher=BBC|work=BBC News}}</ref> The accusations arose from emails obtained by the BBC, and an interview with Lee Gibling, the operator of a hacking website, who claimed he was paid up to £60,000 per year by Ray Adams, NDS's head of security.<ref>{{cite news
 | title = Murdoch's TV Pirates
 | series = Panorama
 | publisher = BBC
 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dlvbm
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141209000000/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dlvbm
 | archive-date = 9 December 2014
 | access-date = 21 January 2024
 | url-status = dead
 }} [https://archive.org/details/MurdochsTVPirates Alt URL]</ref> This would mean that Murdoch used computer hacking to directly undermine rival ITV Digital. Lawyers for News Corporation claimed that these accusations of illegal activities against a rival business are "false and libellous".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/mar/26/news-corp-ondigital-paytv-panorama|title=Questions for News Corp over rival's collapse|first=David|last=Leigh|date=26 March 2012|website=The Guardian}}</ref> In June 2013 the [[Metropolitan Police]] decided to look into these allegations following a request by [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] MP [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jun/07/news-corp-subsidiary-nds-claim|title=Met looks into claims ex-News Corp subsidiary aided attack on pay-TV rival|first=Mark|last=Sweney|date=7 June 2013|website=The Guardian}}</ref>