Desmond Outlines New Strategy For Post Merger ITV
ITV’s chief executive of broadcasting, Mick Desmond, outlined a seven-point plan for future strategy at the annual ISBA conference this week. Top of the list was building strong partnerships with advertisers and he pointed to the arrival of Justin Sampson as ITV’s first head of customer relationship management.
The ITV strategy included:
Delivering commercial impacts to common targets.
Building a multi-channel strategy with ITV3 arriving late in 2004 targeting the 35+ market and ITV Kids launching as a joint venture (details yet to be finalised).
Making news central to ITV’s PSB commitment, with a unified strategy based around the 10.30 slot.
Reducing ITV’s regulatory burden, currently at £450 million. Desmond believed half of this total was no longer justifiable.
Engaging the viewer via transformed on-air promotions, more creative, bespoke and tactical than ever before under the leadership of Jim Hytner.
Producing the most popular and valuable programmes via investment, the reinforcement of key programme brands and live quality sport.
Desmond added that ITV accepted there were still weak areas of the schedule which needed improvement – weekday pm, after 10.30, 5pm to 6pm and Saturday evenings.
He pointed to ITV’s adult TV viewing having reached its highest for 12 years, that ITV reached 41 million adults weekly, that commercial impacts were up 8% in 2003 and that ITV’s share in Freeview homes was now at 32% in peaktime.
Desmond anticipated a buoyant 2004 and felt that if 2005 were tougher, one ITV would be better placed to deal with this.
Earleir this week ITV announced it is on target to save £100 million in the first set of results to be published since its multi-billion pound merger was completed in February (see ITV On Target To Save £100 Million From Merger).
ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com
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