ITV To Put £825 Million Into New Shows Next Year
ITV is to invest £825 million in new programming next year in a bid to increase its audience share and secure lucrative advertising deals.
The renewed investment represents a 7% increase on this year’s programming budget, which was £775 million. ITV, which is suffering from the effects of the advertising downturn and stiff competition from the BBC, recently upped its programming for 2002 by £28m to strengthen its schedule for the second half of the year (see ITV Increases Programming Budget For 2002).
The announcement was made at a Lehman Brothers media conference in London yesterday, where Granada chairman, Charles Allen, laid out ITV’s strategy for the coming year, which includes improving ITV1’s schedule through increased investment and innovative commissioning. Allen made specific reference to building relationships with advertisers, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
The Granada chairman also concluded that ITV’s relationships with international broadcasters should be strengthened. The financial press has reported ITV is to get an estimated £10 million from a US deal to the rights of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Allen made specific reference to the programme and other brand extensions including Pop Idol, in creating “talked about television” which draws in advertisers. Further details of the increased investment are expected later today.
ITV1 saw its audience share decline from 28.3% in June 2001 to 23% in June this year, according to figures from the IPA (see IPA Trends In TV Report Reflects ITV’s World Cup Weakness). Earlier this month the channel took the unusual step of asking the BBC to reorganise its schedules to prevent a clash between two of this autumn’s biggest dramas. The network is hoping that the announcement will persuade the BBC1 not to show its big-budget adaptation of George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda at the same time as ITV’s Dr Zhivago (see ITV Asks BBC To Avoid Autumn Drama Clash).
ITV: 0207 843 8000 www.itv.com
Recent Television Stories from NewsLine Government Finally Gives BBC3 The Go Ahead Dyke Praises Jowell For Diligence Over BBC 3 Decision Lambrini Makes A Date With ITV
Subscribers can access ten years of NewsLine articles by clicking the Search button to the left