Quote: Aaron @ 22nd March 2021, 7:58 PMYes, I had it for a while early last year and am currently using it again at the moment. Got a question about it?
I just wondered about the benefits (and cost).
I know it's initially free but will be chargeable.
I guess there will be things on there not found on various stations' search functions.
How many people here are now paying for Britbox? I realise that Aaron has to.
I'm sure that they're not getting the numbers they hoped for.
Have you got any idea of the viewing figures Aaron?
No, I'm not using it at the moment actually.
It's certainly the least-used of the major streaming platforms, I don't think that's a secret at all. A large majority of UK households are subscribed to at least one service, but figures for the supposed big hits like The Crown on Netflix are not especially good. They get similar numbers to middling-performing TV dramas - a few million.
The truth is that in all these instances, the "hits" are much more generated by circular press/critical hype far more than they are by viewers.
Do you think it could fold?
It won't go under in traditional terms as it is owned by ITV and BBC, but it's not impossible they could choose to shut it down.
Will that happen though? I would think it unlikely. It's not a runaway success here but it's not a failure, and has proven a bigger hit in other countries. They will have their eyes on the long game - this is a still-emerging sector after all. A number of original series like the revival of Spitting Image have proven popular, and they're still only scratching the surface of what's available on DVD.
I'm a little baffled as to why they haven't started it with much more of a focus on it, but when they start really delving into their archives and publishing large numbers of shows that haven't previously been released, then they will get the real growth, and will attract the TV/archive/culture needs who should ultimately be underpinning the business.
Quote: Aaron @ 25th February 2022, 10:27 PMI'm a little baffled as to why they haven't started it with much more of a focus on it, but when they start really delving into their archives and publishing large numbers of shows that haven't previously been released, then they will get the real growth, and will attract the TV/archive/culture needs who should ultimately be underpinning the business.
I don't know why they are dragging their feet over the vast interesting archives they have between them - they won't get any of my money until they do start showing something other than the mundane.
Quote: Aaron @ 25th February 2022, 10:27 PMIt won't go under in traditional terms as it is owned by ITV...
One might have said the same about ITV Digital.
Strange that one of their exclusives "Sister Boniface Mysteries" is being shown on Drama already.
I thought that the idea of showing them on Britbox was to try to encourage subscription.
Quote: Chappers @ 15th March 2022, 11:01 PMStrange that one of their exclusives "Sister Boniface Mysteries" is being shown on Drama already.
I thought that the idea of showing them on Britbox was to try to encourage subscription.
Blimey.
That's uncanny.
I have just been on the phone to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and he was saying exactly the same.
Can anyone here with a Britbox subscription tell me if it's actually worth having? On the free trial and it's been nice re-watching Rising Damp and a couple of old Doctor Whos, but other than that there doesn't actually seem to be that much there. Do more shows get added regularly, or do you basically just get what's there already?
They do add new things although I'm not sure how regularly any longer. There were certainly huge gaps and omissions when I was last using it.
Combined with the risk of content being removed, I'd always just recommend buying what you want on Blu-ray or DVD.
Quote: Leeviathon @ 25th January 2024, 4:52 PMCan anyone here with a Britbox subscription tell me if it's actually worth having? On the free trial and it's been nice re-watching Rising Damp and a couple of old Doctor Whos, but other than that there doesn't actually seem to be that much there. Do more shows get added regularly, or do you basically just get what's there already?
I get it all on ITVX now. I have no complaints. Watched Boys on the Blackstuff most recently.