Television Market Round-Up – June 2005

GMTV saw its revenues rise by 7.6% year on year during June, totaling £4.7 million and marking the only growth amongst the nation’s terrestrial broadcasters.

ITV was less fortunate, seeing its revenues drop by 19.7% in the same period to £109.8 million. However, the broadcaster has invested heavily in its multi-channel offerings, announcing plans to invest at least £15 million into a new male-focused channel, ITV4, in June.

The move is designed to enable ITV to compete against rivals Channel 4, Five and Sky One with more American imports and big-budget programming (see ITV Invests £15 Million In Male-Orientated ITV4).

Five also saw a dip in revenues during June, with a 5.7% decline pushing the broadcaster’s total to £20.2 million. The broadcaster recently saw its ownership shift into the sole hands of RTL, after United Business Media agreed to sell its 35.4% shareholding in Five for £247.6 million (see RTL Seizes Full Control Of Five).

Channel 4 saw its revenues slip by 2.3% year on year, with the broadcaster’s total now resting at £52 million. However, the screening of several new series looks set to boost the broadcaster’s fortunes, as it acquired the rights to air several hit American shows from Warner Bros.

The move will see new disaster series, Invasion, included in Channel 4’s schedules, while sitcom The War at Home promises to be a witty and irreverent look at family life from the writer of Will & Grace, Ellen and Dream On (see Channel 4 Bolsters Schedule With New US Shows).

Elsewhere, satellite broadcasters saw their revenues continue to rise, adding 17.1% year on year during June to total £63.1 million.

ITV Franchises

Anglia TV saw the largest increase in ITV’s revenue share during June, increasing its contributions by 1% point to 7.36, while Carlton added 0.9% points to total 15.52% of ITV’s revenues, contributing the most of any regional franchise.

Fellow London operator, LWT, was less fortunate, however, shedding 0.6% points to push its total contributions to 12.56%.

Elsewhere, the Central region saw the largest downturn in contributions, losing 1.1% points year on year to total 14.86%.

Costs Per Thousand

ITV and Five saw their costs per thousand fall for all audiences during June, with the largest decline seen by ITV’s Women category, which was down by 18.1% year on year to £11.98. Five also saw a decline in the same category, although its dip was less, at 9.8% to £6.87.

Five’s largest decline was seen in the Men category, where a downturn of 17% left its cost for the audience at £9.35.

Elsewhere, Channel 4 saw increases in its costs in all audiences, with the largest rise of 7.7% occurring in the Women category, which now totals £12.25

Commercial Impacts

Both ITV and Channel 4 saw declines in commercial impacts across all audiences, with particularly strong downturns amongst ITV’s ABC1 Adults audience and Channel 4’s Women category, losing 15% and 9.4% respectively year on year to 6,105 and 5,142.

Five saw some upturn in commercial impacts, meanwhile, with the most growth experienced in its Men audience, which rose by 13.6% to 2,619. However, the broadcaster was not without its declines, as its Housewives with Children and ABC1 Adults dipped by 1.4% and 0.5% respectively.

Satellite impacts continued to rise, as multi-channel takeup continued throughout June. Increases across the board saw double digit percentage growth in all audiences, with Men leading the way, increasing by 18.5% year on year.

BARB: www.barb.co.uk