ITV2 has traditionally carried low-budget programming such as repeats of ITV1 soaps and dramas, as well as extended coverage of popular shows such as 'Pop Idol'.
Screening programming left over from ITV Sport will free up funds to spend on other programming, as the channel attempts to attract more advertising.
ITV2 will now be able to air events such as the Tour de France, as well as some World Cup matches. This follows the go-ahead from the Independent Television Commission, which greenlighted plans by ITV and the BBC to show some World Cup matches on their digital channels.
Usually, sports events such as the World Cup are listed events that have to be aired on terrestrial TV to at least 95% of the population.
Channel 5 lobbied the ITC to get the broadcasters to sub-licence the matches the BBC and ITV did not want to air on their terrestrial channels. The ITC ignored this call and said it would not "require either broadcaster to sub-licence matches".
The decision to boost ITV2's programming comes amid an increased drive by the broadcaster to attract advertisers to the channel.
At an ITV conference called Television Matters, it invited advertisers to choose a TV programme out of a selection of examples from a producer, to be screened in the autumn.
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