STV, Scotland’s leading digital company and commercial broadcaster, has launched STV Watch Live, a new live streaming service with dynamic real time ad replacement on the STV Player.

STV Watch Live allows users in STV’s licence areas in Scotland to watch STV programmes live online, including top entertainment shows, comprehensive news and current affairs, and matches from the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

STV Watch Live is available online via STV Player and on iOS and Android mobile and tablet device.  STV Glasgow, STV’s new city TV channel, is also streamed live.

In a UK first, STV is working with Yospace, The Dynamic Ad Insertion Company (DAI), and leading global video ad serving and management specialist Videoplaza to deliver dynamic ad replacement and ad targeting across live streaming content.

Yospace’s seamless content replacement solution allows STV to manage its ad inventory during live streams and monetise these across a wide range of platforms through more effective ad targeting.

Alistair Brown, Chief Technology and Platforms Officer at STV, said: “We were delighted to launch live streaming on the STV Player in time for viewers to watch this summer’s World Cup.  STV always strives to offer content that is truly multi-platform, allowing consumers to watch their favourite STV programmes free of charge, anytime and anywhere they choose.

“With Videoplaza’s technology we can efficiently manage our video ad inventory across all our STV Player platforms, and working with Yospace means we can now extend this relationship to live streaming.”

Tim Sewell, Chief Executive Officer at Yospace, said: “The ability for broadcasters like STV to effectively monetise live streams across multiple platforms, whilst ensuring delivery of a true broadcast quality user experience, is key to the commercial success of simulcast. This is clearly never more true than during major events like the FIFA World Cup, and we’re delighted to be powering STV Live.”

“We’re very excited to play a part in enabling STV to deliver real time digital ad replacement within their live streams”, said Stephen Byrne, Commercial Director UK for Videoplaza. “We think digital ad replacement is a huge opportunity for broadcasters to provide their audiences with free access to exclusive content whilst simultaneously unlocking additional video advertising revenues, and STV has achieved another UK first with this initiative.”

‍

About STV

‍

STV reaches 3.6 million viewers each month with first class programming including soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street, big drama productions, entertainment hits The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, strong home-grown productions and the most comprehensive local news service in the UK.

STV Productions is one of the UK’s leading content businesses, with ambitious plans for growth and expansion in the UK and overseas. The company has a record of success across a range of genres including drama, factual and entertainment, producing a wide range of programmes for a variety of networks, including Catchphrase and Fake Reaction for ITV and ITV2, ratings success Antiques Road Trip for BBC One and quiz show The Lie for STV and TV3. Upcoming productions include new entertainment show Let me Entertain You for ITV and quiz show The Link for BBC One.

STV’s digital business incorporates Scotland’s most popular commercial media website, stv.tv, home to the STV Player and comprehensive news, sport and entertainment services.

STV recently launched new digital services providing all the latest news, events, offers, pictures and videos for consumers in Scotland’s biggest cities. STV Glasgow, STV Edinburgh, STV Aberdeen and STV Dundee are available as apps, free to download and use on iOS and Android devices, and accompanied by desktop and mobile sites.

STV has secured two licences to deliver brand new city-focused TV for Glasgow and Edinburgh. STV Glasgow will launch in June 2014 with STV Edinburgh to follow.

STV content is available across multi platforms including iOS, Android, PS3, Windows 8; YouView and Samsung Smart TV.