Disney and UK's ITV tie-up in joint streaming deal

LONDON (Reuters) -U.S. entertainment giant Walt Disney and British broadcaster ITV will carry a selection of each other's shows on their respective streaming platforms, Disney+ and ITVX, to help attract new audiences, the companies said on Thursday.

Disney+ customers in Britain will be able to stream drama "Mr Bates vs The Post Office", reality show "Love Island" and thriller "Spy Among Friends" and other shows on the platform at no extra cost under the banner "A Taste of ITVX", they said.

At the same time, ITVX viewers will be able to view a rotating selection of Disney+ shows, branded "A Taste of Disney+", which will include in the coming months the first seasons of "The Bear" and "Only Murders in the Building" at no cost.

Both companies are focused on building their streaming audiences in an increasingly crowded field that also includes Netflix, Amazon Prime and the BBC's iPlayer.

Disney offers three subscription plans in Britain, with the cheapest carrying ads.

ITVX is predominantly ad-supported, although a minority of viewers pay for a premium ad-free service.

ITV will sell the advertising for "A Taste of Disney+" on ITVX, and Disney will do likewise for the ITVX selection on Disney+ standard with ads, the companies said.

(Reporting by Paul SandleEditing by Mark Potter)