Annual TV Market Round-Up 2002
Revenues
The ongoing advertising downturn continued to take its toll on ITV1 during 2002, with revenue falling by 0.8% year on year. The heavy losses experienced during 2001 continued well into 2002. However, increased bookings for the World Cup boosted revenue from May onwards, with June seeing an 11.3% year on year increase. The year ended on a less than positive note for the channel, with revenue slipping by 4% during December.
In an analysis of the ITV franchise companies, Meridian saw the biggest increase in revenue share during 2002, with a 0.7% point increase. Carlton, which saw the biggest increase in revenue share during 2001, witnessed a 0.6% point decline during 2002. Central continued to command the largest share of total ITV revenue for the year.
Channel 4 got off to a bad start during 2002 as the annus horribilis that was the 2001 proved hard to shake. After four consecutive months of losses, revenue picked up in May and continued strongly throughout the rest of the year. The most notable increase occurred in October, when revenue was up by 15.8% year on year. Overall, revenue at the channel increased by 4.9% during 2002.
Channel Five erased the lacklustre performance of the previous year with a bumper 2002, which saw revenue increase by 20.3% year on year. July was the most lucrative month for the fledgling channel, with revenue up by almost 40% on the same period the previous year. Changes to its programming strategy and a full-scale rebrand (see Channel 5 Relaunched As Five) ensured that the channel finished the year on a positive note.
After a strong 2001, Cable & Satellite revenues continued to improve during 2002, increasing by 14.8% year on year. April was the only month to show a loss, although the second half of the year was notably better than the first half, with revenue rising by more than 30% during September and October. Revenue was up during December when the number of people watching cable, satellite and digital terrestrial TV channels outnumbered those watching ITV1 during the Christmas week (see Multichannel Broadcasters Overtake ITV1 At Christmas).
Costs Per Thousand
Costs per thousand rose across all categories and all channels on average during 2002, with the exception of Channel 4’s Housewives category, which fell by 3.3%. In a marked contrast to the previous year, some of the most significant rises were seen at ITV1 and at Channel Five.
Commercial Impacts
Commercial impacts on ITV1 were down across all audience categories on average during 2002. For the second consecutive year the largest fall was seen in the Housewives With Children category.
The story was the same for Channel 4, which saw the most significant year on year reductions in its ABC1 Adults category and its Men category.
Channel Five saw commercial impacts increase across all audience categories in 2002. The most significant increase was seen in the Women category.
Cable & Satellite continued to see commercial impacts increase by the most significant amounts during 2002. These included a notable jump in the Women category and a significant rise in the Housewives category.
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