Corrie: ITV's new website

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Norris - the man in the know!

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ITV.com to launch exclusive Coronation Street content
23 Jul 2009
By Danielle Long

ITV.com has commissioned a range of exclusive Coronation Street digital content in a bid to attract more users to the soap’s new site. The site will boast more than 100 minutes of premium video content, including exclusive cast interviews, backstage footage and archive clips, along with three-minute episode catch-ups, episode summaries, sneak previews and character profiles. ITV.com also plans to launch Corrie-specific mobile downloads and games later in the year. These will include ringtones and graphics that can be purchased directly from the site.

Kate Bradshaw, deputy MD and head of online commissioning at ITV, has commissioned ITV Digital Productions to create the content as part of a strategy to make the site a destination for the long-running soap’s fanbase. It will also create an online series, Street Talk, which will feature interviews with cast members, exclusive news stories, on-set gossip and story previews, fronted by a famous Corrie fan. The Coronation Street site already attracts more than 1m views of short-form video content each month.

Bradshaw said, “The exclusive video content is hugely entertaining and carefully branded to complement the official area. This is a significant and exciting example of the way we’re supporting ITV’s biggest shows online.” Patricia Wagstaff, director of ITV Digital Productions, said the commissions were a “superb example” of how broadcasters were “deepening and enhancing the viewer experience, while also setting a very inspiring road-map for future digital commissions”.

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STREET TALKING CELEBS
24th July 2009

FAMOUS Coronation Street fans are going to interview their favourite characters for an online feature called Street Talk. It is part of a major shake-up of the Manchester soap’s official website to boost the number of hits it gets. Street Talk will see celebs go behind the scenes and get all the gossip from top cast members. And bosses have revealed that fans will get even more access to the stars after agreeing to increase the content on their site. In what is being hailed as a first for UK soaps, 20 of the show’s characters will have a video profile, with more to be rolled out through the year.

Meanwhile, show chiefs are recasting for the role of Gail Platt’s eldest son Nick Tilsley. The character will return this year but fans will not see actor Adam Rickitt, 31, reprise his role. A Corrie spokesman said: “It will be great to see the return of Nick. He has many links with the street.” Nick has not been seen since 2003 when he had a controversial gay kiss with Todd Grimshaw.