ITV Puts Squeeze On New Budget

According to press reports today, ITV has set a new budget of £600 million for the next financial year. This is an increase of £17 million on last year although the Network Centre will neither confirm or deny this report.

However, although the budget has increased on last year with provisions being made to extend the budget if necessary in the race for ratings, there has been pressure to keep programme costs below the rate of inflation.

This new policy of value for money programming was revealed last week by the head of the ITV Network Centre, Marcus Plantin. The aim is to release money through savings so that the prime time schedule can be enhanced and to help pay for the ever increasing sports rights.

ITV Network Centre: 0171 843 8000.