The UK’s terrestrial TV channels saw their combined revenue decline by 4.6% year on year during March, as the outbreak of war with Iraq dominated the schedules and prompted a number of high-profile advertisers to suspend their campaigns (see Advertisers Braced For Disruption As War Arrives).
Channel 4, which was among the first to increase its news coverage of the crisis, was the worst hit, with revenue slipping by 7% during March. Meanwhile, ITV’s decision to drop commercials from its special 9pm news bulletins (see ITV Drops Ads From Special News Bulletins) appeared to prove costly for the broadcaster, which saw revenue fall to just above £141 million. Channel Five was the only terrestrial channel to record an improvement during March.
Total satellite saw revenue increased by 8.9% year on year during March as rolling news channels experienced record viewing figures due to the increased demand for up to the minute information on the Iraqi conflict (see Feature: TV News Proves Its Worth In Times Of Crisis).
ITV Franchises
March was a month of mixed fortunes for the ITV franchises, which all saw their share of advertising revenue fluctuate in year on year comparison. Carlton experienced the most significant negative movement, recording a 1.13% point decline during March. At the other end of the scale, Central improved by 1.39% points and Yorkshire/North East saw its share of revenue improve to 10.43%.
Costs Per Thousand
Costs per thousands fell across the board during March, with ITV1 seeing the most notable declines in the Housewives With Children and the ABC1 Adults category. Channel 4 saw the cost of reaching one thousand female viewers fall by 14.1% year on year and Channel Five experienced a notable 11.2% decline in its Housewives With Children category.
Commercial Impacts
Terrestrial broadcasters saw commercial impacts rise across the board during March, with the exception of Channel 4’s Men category, which fell year on year. The most significant gains were seen at ITV and Channel Five, which experienced a respective 21.7% and 19.6% increase in the Housewives With Children category. In comparison, Satellite impacts fell across all categories, with the exception of the ABC1 Adults category.
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