IQTV, which claims to be the first mobile and online subscription video on demand (SVOD) service to offer 'intelligent' quiz shows, has announced that it is to launch this July in the UK initially, with an international roll-out in other territories planned to follow.
Targeting what it calls 'upmarket superfans' of its genre, the brand-new streaming service, owner InQuisiTiVe Media will aggregate classic episodes from the UK's leading titles in the genre and provide fans with the opportunity to play along with programmes via a built-in gameplay app. The service will be available on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and the web.IQTV has already secured a multi-year deal with BBC Worldwide, with exclusive rights to Mastermind, Celebrity Mastermind, A Question of Genius and The Weakest Link. These titles, together with Countdown from Channel 4 and Only Connect from Banijay International, have a cumulative reach of 12 million adults amongst the target audience.
"This is a unique proposition in the world of SVOD, addressing an important gap in the market. Intelligent quiz shows represent an attractive, untapped genre for a niche SVOD service," said Rod Henwood, co-founder and chairman, InQuisiTiVe Media. "They have significant and very loyal audiences, their brands are enduring, their hosts are highly recognisable with a strong social media following, and they have had a relatively limited airing on multi-channel television. While there has been a well-documented focus on scripted content and millennial audiences, older viewers and non-scripted passion genres represent a real gap in the VOD landscape.
