TV Market Round-Up – July 2007

July was a good month for commercial revenues for terrestrial channels, which saw an overall increase of 9.6% year on year. Only GMTV recorded a dip in its monthly revenue, as the fallout from the phone-in controversy bit (see GMTV MD To Leave Following Phone-In Scandal).

Channel 4 had the best monthly increase amongst the terrestrial broadcaster, despite ratings for it’s juggernaut reality show Big Brother slightly faltering. The channel recorded a rise of 12% compared to July 2006, to stand at nearly £ 51 million.

Satellite revenues continued to rise, with July seeing its revenues improve by 8.8% year on year.

ITV Franchises

As per the recent trend Central continues to provide the largest percentage share of ITV1 revenue, improving it’s percentage share of ITV1’s revenue. For the month of July, the Midlands franchise area had 16.55% share of the network’s revenue, an increase of 0.38% points year on year.

The next best performing franchise area was LWT which saw its share rise by 0.37% points.

There was no change in West Country’s share of ITV1’s revenue, which the franchise area providing 2.19% for the month.

ITV1 saw a big dip in its CPT price for Women audience, decreasing by 11.9% year on year. The only audience to cost more was Housewives with Children, increasing by 3.9%.

For Channel 4, all our featured audiences cost more this July than last year, with ABC1 Adults recording the biggest increase, at just under 32%.

Five remains the cheapest terrestrial channel option across these audiences with across the board CPT increases, of which Housewives with Children achieved the greatest increase of 13.6%.

ITV1 had a good month with all featured audiences recording a year on year increase. The best performing of these was Women, no doubt responding to a perceived improved Summer schedule, rising by 25.3% on July 2006.

Perhaps due in part to ITV1 performing better during this month, Channel 4 again saw its impacts on all our featured audiences slump. The biggest hit was felt by ABC1 Adults, declining by 15%.

Five saw falls across featured audiences, with Housewives dropping the least amount, by 1.3% year on year.

All Total Broadcast’s featured audiences were up year on year, with Housewives with Children peaking at 16.4% growth just ahead of ABC1 Adults by 0.3% percentage points.

BARB: www.barb.co.uk