Freeview And Strong BBC To Blame For ITV’s Problems

The growth of Freeview and a strong BBC are to blame for ITV’s falling audience numbers, according to outgoing ITV chief executive Charles Allen, who was speaking at the Royal Television Society’s conference yesterday.

“Freeview accounted for 75% of our decline,” said Allen, also attributing the performance of the BBC and the speedy growth of digital take-up to the decline in the broadcaster’s viewers.

Allen said there was a need to move ITV forward, but said the brand was powerful and that people trusted in it. “Do you need to reposition it and polish it up?” he queried. “Absolutely.”

He said in future ITV needed to work harder on building relationships with advertisers, creating new packages like Littlewoods’ deal to sponsor Trinny and Susannah’s new show (see Littlewoods To Sponsor Trinny And Susannah).

Following his attack on Channel 4 at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival last month (see MGEITF 2006: Allen Uses MacTaggart To Criticise Channel 4), Allen also called on the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, to hold a review covering all of the broadcasting industry.

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