ITV needs to win back the 16-34 year old audience, not only for its own sake, but for the sake of the commercial TV industry, according to Zenith Media. In the Autumn 2001 Zenith on TV report, out this week, the media analysts expressed concern at the 4.1% drop in 16-34 impacts seen in the first half of this year, but went on to say that David Liddiment’s plans could prove the remedy for the problem.
“Young adults is one of the key demographs that advertisers want to reach and ITV must address the shortfall, not just for its own benefit, but to prevent the whole of commercial TV losing ad revenue to other media.” wrote Zenith’s Ross Nester.
Liddiment is expected to address this shortfall partly through the recommissioning of programmes including Frank Skinner and Cold Feet. Along with new commissions and acquisitions including Bob and Rose, The Sketch Show and Grounded for Life, bought from Fox in America, the aim is to create targeted evenings which will become appointment to view for young adults the way that Channel 4 has successfully done on Friday nights.
Grounded for Life is interesting, the report points out, in that this will be the first time ITV has imported a show for peak time since LA Law. However Nester cautions, “It is rumoured that Grounded will be placed in the difficult slot following the news at 10.20pm. Not the easiest slot for a new show to prove its mettle.” He also points out that while other high profile imports such as Ally McBeal and Friends “do good numbers for Channel 4 and often have a very good young profile”, the Friends average of 5 million per terrestrial episode is a long way below what ITV needs to achieve at 9pm.
The report concludes by saying that, from an advertisers viewpoint, ITV’s success in turning the tide would be welcome for two reasons: firstly, a strong ITV provides a good argument for the use of TV against other media and secondly because if ITV cannot hold out against the threat from BBC1 “it will have to feed off the other commercial broadcasters, thus reducing options for advertisers.”
Zenith: 020 7224 8500 www.zenithmedia.co.uk
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