There is no prospect of a recovery in UK television advertising, at least in the short term, according to respected media consultant, John Billett.
Speaking from the US where he is setting up an office to service “indigenous” clients, the chairman of media auditing firm Billetts said: “There isn’t going to be a renaissance in television buying as far as the eye can see.”
He saved his most damning observation for ITV1, pointing out that revenues at the network fell by 5% in the first seven months of the year while the market as a whole showed a slight increase.
“Better news for advertisers was that ITV1 was cheaper by over 11 per cent across the majority of audiences in the first seven months of 2003,” Billetts said.
The company also said that ITV’s price premium for adults fell to 20% compared with 25% in the same period last year.
Billett’s comments, in today’s Times will come as a blow to ITV but may reassure advertisers concerned about the influence that the soon-to-be-merged company will wield in the television advertising market (See Advertisers Give Mixed Reaction To ITV Merger).
