stv has unveiled a new look to its website with an aim toward providing more news, video and features.

The site - stv.tv - features a new home page with a range of material that combines Scottish news, latest news in video from both Scotland Today and North Tonight, as well as full stv programme details. The launch into beta on Wednesday is the first of several steps taken to meet demands of stv's millions of television viewers and web readers.

A hallmark of the site is a rotating information panel at the top of the home page that highlights news and TV programmes from stv and stv.tv. It features the wide variety of content available online, from local and national news to the full catch-up of favourite shows such as Coronation Street, the X Factor and Britannia High.

The new look offers sharper imagery, easier-to-read fonts and improved layout – making the pages easier to read. This is the first stage of a rolling programme of improvements to the site. More features will be added in the weeks and months ahead, including user commenting and customisable personal pages.

Alistair Brown, head of New Media for stv, said: "The new website says 'this is what we are about' at stv. The pages are fresher, cleaner and better representative of who stv is, and are responsive to the web user of today.

"The site aims to compete with both the quality Scottish news sites and the bigger UK players like the BBC an the Guardian. I think Scotland can be proud of its new-look home for news, video and features – and there is so much more to come."

stv and stv.tv is owned and operated by Glasgow-based stv group plc, which has the ITV licences to broadcast in north and central Scotland. In June, stv unveiled an ambitious new video website - stv.tv/video - that offers 30-day catch-up video of ITV and original stv programming.