ITV Outlines Effects Of £100 Million Cost-Cutting

ITV director of television, Simon Shaps, has outlined the network’s new programming strategy, illustrating how the recent cost-cutting and restructuring announcement will effect schedules and commissioning.

The broadcaster, who recently announced it would restructure and cut costs of £100 million (see ITV To Undertake Cost-Cutting Restructure), will scale back and cease some programming.

It will cut back the number of single or two-part dramas on ITV1 and replace them with cheaper programming, reduce the tarriffs it pays producers for programmes and move towards deals with production companies that will cut programme fees, with the chance to make more money through performance-related bonuses.

Other changes include tendering out more major projects and contracts in a bid to get the most competitive prices, having less makeover and lifestyle shows in daytime, modernising PSB commitments and increasing the number of US-acquired series shown on ITV1.

In a similar move to rationalise its business, ITV Productions is to stop producing domestic 90-minute drama specials and instead will concentrate on long-running series and high-end period and contemporary programming.

ITV Productions chief executive John Whiston also confirmed that the company is to stop making low margin one-off documentaries as well as history, wildlife and kids programming.

The company will instead concentrate on factual entertainment, high-end drama and drama series, quiz and game shows, and comedy. He added that ITV Productions would be looking to up its non-ITV work.

Meanwhile ITV consumer chief Jeff Henry revealed that ITV is planning to put all of its major channels on to 3G mobile phone sets in the coming months.

He also said that plans for the recently acquired Friends Reunited (see

ITV Plans Online Expansion With Friends Reunited Purchase www.itv.com