Luke Johnson, chairman of Channel 4, has rejected the criticism that Charles Allen launched on the broadcaster in his MacTaggart lecture, insisting that Channel 4 had fulfilled its public service remit.In a session at the MGEITF this weekend, scheduled after the outgoing ITV chief had suggested C4 needed an overhaul, Johnson suggested ITV stop concerning… Continue reading MGEITF 2006: Channel 4 Boss Rejects Allen’s MacTaggart Criticism

The UK media is in the middle of seismic and accelerating changes, according to outgoing ITV chief executive Charles Allen, who delivered the MacTaggart lecture at the MGEITF on Friday night.The self-confessed media “suit”, who admitted not wanting any of the other big jobs in UK TV, called on the UK broadcasting industry to embrace… Continue reading MGEITF 2006: Competition And Switchover Key To UK Television’s Future

The BBC has been criticised for its attempt at cross-media dominance, with industry experts calling for the Corporation to resist turning into an enormous media conglomerate.Key industry figures gathered for a Sunday morning Question Time style session at the MGEITF on the weekend. Martin Bell, the veteran BBC correspondent and former MP, was particularly harsh,… Continue reading MGEITF 2006: BBC Must Resist Cross-Media Dominance

The outgoing chief executive of ITV, Charles Allen, heavily criticised Channel 4 at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, saying the broadcaster may need a fundamental remodelling of its structure to bring it in line with its commercial competitors.Delivering the MacTaggart lecture on Friday night, Allen didn’t hold back, saying there was a stark imbalance… Continue reading MGEITF 2006: Allen Uses MacTaggart To Criticise Channel 4

Andy Duncan, the chief executive of Channel 4, will not take Charles Allen’s place at ITV, saying that his loyalties lie with Channel 4 and will do for “some considerable time.”“There has been a lot of speculation about possible candidates for this role and I want it to be known that I will not be… Continue reading Channel 4 Head Will Not Step Into Allen’s Shoes

A senior production executive at ITV has said that the broadcaster has lost its way, branding its flagship channel as “unwatchable” and downmarket.In an interview in today’s MediaGuardian, ITV controller of drama, comedy and films, Andy Harries, has criticised Charles Allen’s era at the company, saying Allen was short-sighted and that “ITV is so unfashionable,… Continue reading Top ITV Executive Criticises Charles Allen Era

Thelondonpaper, Rupert Murdoch’s free newspaper which is set for its first print run next month, could cost its competitor, DMGT, up to £10 million a year, according to reports in the Observer.The paper reports that analysts have predicted that the Evening Standard owner, which will launch its own freesheet, London Lite, and close Standard Lite… Continue reading Murdoch Freesheet Could Cost Competitor Up To £10 Million A Year

Friday night’s Big Brother finale drew a peak of 8.2 million people, almost 50% of the viewing share at the time, up from the number that tuned in for 2005’s last episode.Despite criticism and controversy throughout, BB7 has become the most watched in the programme’s history, with series favourite Pete scooping the £100,000 prize, and… Continue reading BB7 Becomes Most Watched In History

Whilst overall television viewing levels continue to show a decline, digital television coverage is growing, according to the IPA’s latest Trends In Television report covering Q2 2006.The report suggests that the major channels continue to suffer from the growth of the non-terrestrial channels, which have significantly extended their patronage over the past year and are… Continue reading IPA Report Shows Continual Decline In TV Viewing

The return of ITV1’s X Factor gave the network a much needed ratings boost on Saturday evening, beating BBC One’s Reality singing contest, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? in the 7pm timeslot.Almost six million adult viewers tuned in to see the start of the new series of the talent quest, taking a… Continue reading X Factor’s Return Gives Much Needed Boost To ITV1