ITV Publishes Audience Targets For Next Three Years

ITV has today announced peaktime audience share targets for the next three years as part of its “New Approach” strategy. The approach, which is the result of the 100-day consultation period, also sets out the specific ways in which strands and day parts can be improved.

Speaking at a presentation to agencies and advertisers, ITV’s chief executive Richard Eyre said that it was his firm intention to arrest the decline of recent years and deliver growth in peak audience share. As part of this he specified the target of a peaktime share of 38% in 1998, rising to 39% in 1999 and reaching 40% in the year 2000. This will also involve targeting audience share from BBC1, rather than C4, C5 and satellite, as this would “generate maximum commercial impacts.”

Eyre also expressed the intention to improve the channel’s profile among ABC1 and younger viewers and among housewives in daytime. He said: “I am not about to throw the baby out with the bathwater – but, equally, I will not shirk difficult decisions. I am glad to have a brief which allows me to review our programme output in its entirety, with no taboo areas.” More fresh programming, more nurturing of shows with potential, more risk-taking and more backing of new talent were the broad improvements which Eyre felt could be made. He added that he would be looking to exploit new areas of the schedule, such as post-10.40pm, through programming with wide appeal yet still being attractive to lighter viewers.

David Liddiment also gave details of his plans for individual programme genres, stating the major changes which would not take effect until the 1999 schedule.

Entertainment: this will be enhanced by attracting more new talent to the channel (such as the recent signing of David Baddiel and Frank Skinner) and by launching new formats like Ice Warriors. “Nursery slopes” for developing fresh talent are to be created in late night and shoulder peak slots.

Comedy drama: pre-watershed sitcom, currently going through an industry-wide crisis, would continue to be commissioned but with “more of less”: those ideas chosen would be given longer initial runs and nurtured to allow them scope to develop and grow. The genre will also be broadened into panel games, sketch comedy and more performance-based comedy – much of it after the watershed and in late peak.

Drama: there will be a renewal of the portfolio of ‘banker’ shows, as well as a widening of the range, with more dramas pre-watershed and later in the evening. It is expected that there will be more two-hour films and short series.

Factual programmes: there will be a repositioning of factual programmes, with the genre being placed “right at the heart of the schedule.” Plans include an editorial review with ITN of the news programmes; a reinvigoration of the current affairs portfolio; the end of the umbrella term Network First in order to allow the subject matter of individual programmes to stand out more clearly; more documentaries which give a snapshot of life in Britain today; and more single documentaries and series in peaktime.

Daytime: the appointment of a specialist controller will “ensure that the schedule remains competitive in the mornings and improves its performance in the afternoons.”

Sport: this department now has a reinstated dedicated controller. ITV Sport is to be built up as a brand and its portfolio of rights is to be enhanced.

The seven drivers of ITV’s success were identified at the presentation as:

• A new, streamlined organisational structure with an empowered central executive
• A major programme review with significant investment above inflation
• A complete review of the architecture of the schedule to make it more competetive
• Clearer channel branding and a more aggressive, integrated programme marketing campaign
• A commercial strategy which guarantees efficient programme acquisition
• A greater focus on the customer by remaining the most cost-effective channel for building brands
• A public affairs strategy to safeguard the pre-eminence of the channel through fair taxation and regulation.

ITV marketing and commercial director John Hardie also announced a major development in ITV’s marketing, promotional and advertising activities. He said: “ITV is a great brand which is capable of a better performance. From now on, ITV will focus on programme marketing, which in itself will build the channel’s equity. Corporate advertising will not be our major focus – so don’t expect to see an ITV version of “A Perfect Day.”

Richard Eyre concluded the presentation by announcing that he would be inaugurating an annual ITV Performance Review for advertisers and agencies, which will take the form of a presentation and a written annual report.

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