ITV Focuses On Delivering Commercial Impacts

ITV is to completely overhaul its broadcast scheduling and commissioning process in order to maximise commercial impacts for advertisers.

Rather than the commissioning process preceding the scheduling of programmes, as in the past, the ITV schedule will be designed first with advertisers’ needs in mind and programming will be commissioned to match the schedule brief. In addition each slot will be benchmarked to achieve maximum impact and profitability.

The changing system comes as Granada claims it has a “greater incentive than ever” to invest and to hold its share of commercial impacts following its controversial planned merger with ITV partner Carlton.

Granada’s interim results, released today, state: “All areas of business will be focused on providing the maximum commercial impacts for ITV.

Under the Contract Rights Renewal terms of the merger, advertisers can reduce their share of broadcast spend on ITV1 if the channel loses its share of commercial impacts. This mechanism has ensured that commercial impacts remain the most important currency at the broadcaster.

However, advertising on ITV2 and the network’s planned digital channels will not be subjected to the CRR rules, which will only apply to ITV1.

The channel’s commitment to place advertising at the top of its agenda will doubtless provide further fuel to complaints the channel chases commercial gains at the expense of diversity and thus neglects its public service remit.

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com

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