It is up to ITV to develop successful returning drama and entertainment formats that viewers will return to. It isn't a case of 'poor ITV can't compete against Strictly' - the onus is on ITV to deliver the goods.

The way Merlin has held its own against TXF is a perfect example of how a show can compete and draw significant audiences against one of the biggest shows on television. That ITV has failed spectacularly to come up with something similar is nothing to do with money. It's because its drama executives have no passion for, or interest in anything vaguely sci-fi/cult/fantasy. Merlin had a shaky start but gradually grew from strength-to-strength, primarily because it had an executive at the BBC, Julie Gardner, who believed in it. Contrast this with Demons, made by the same production company, and left to flounder by ITV management - or Eternal Law from Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah, another high concept show ITV did not know how to handle.

It's not about how much cash ITV has - and there's no shortage of that - it's how they spend it that counts ... and where the channel is falling down.

On the whole ITV 1 budget vs BBC 1s budget. You have to remember that the same programme made for the bbc will generally cost more. An hour long drama on ITV will around 45 minutes, where for thr bbc this will be around 55 minutes. A 90 minute drama on bbc will not be that different to a 2 hour drama on ITV this all means a larger cost to the bbc. As someone mentioned previously, 4 episodes of EE a week is similar in length to 5 episodes of Cory. This all causes a huge cost to the bbc, so i would say itv1 and bbc1 actually have pretty similar budgets when everything is considered.

The biggest issue is that its big hitters are not all made in house (BGT, XF, DA), which is where alot of broadcasters are making there money now, and means they have to pay for that success. Also due to demos, ITV have to spend heavily on sports, which generally are v. Expensive. Its no coincidence that when ITV originally got the footy there drama hours fell drastically.

The BBC on the other hand have cut back on sport, seems to be able to do co productions more regularly, to provide more drama. The bbc have also been more consistent in there scheduling, which builds confidence for the viewer.

Though i commend ITV for upping there drama budget, you have to think what the hell they are doing with there commissions and schedule.

Why launch three 1950s type costume dramas at the same time?
Why keep on launching copies of dramas that you have done before, but completely take out what made them successful, and replace them with loads of soapy nonsence (Homefront and previously Sweet Medicine).
Why continually do short series with premises that have limited return value, or limited option to do long runs. Soldier, Soldier, Peak Practice, Londons Burning were all simple, modern premises that could be returnable, and could have long runs.
Why have ITV drama made every drama soap like, turning off a large majority of the audience straight away (homefront being Soldier, Soldier for the soap audience).

Interesting points, but also ITV no longer has a monopoly on commercial television and has to fight for its revenue against Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky, which are its main competitors. Also having five stations now means ITV has to spread its money out. While I'm sure many ITV executives would love to bin shows like All Star Mr and Mrs and replace it with edgy drama, but they know if this fails, they have an expensive flop on their hands, while cheap LE is less of a risk.

But how much sponsorship money do they get for the ads that air immediately before opening credits? Surely sponsorship money must pay towards some of the programmes budget?

It's not about the quantity of new drama - it's about the quality.

Although Call The Midwife may have raised eyebrows with its success, it shouldn't've. It embodies many of the basics of popular series drama and then has a spin of its own, unique enough to not make it feel like a copy of another show.

Enough people have seen House to know that Monroe is a pale imitation. The reason for Homefront's failure is pretty obvious - there are enough news reports about the killing of British troops in Afghanistan to make it obvious that nobody would want to watch a soapy drama based on that. I don't think Hunted is that similar to Spooks - it has a bigger budget and a more serially-driven narrative - but what it lacks are sympathetic characters and warmth ... plus it looks and feels more like a BBC2 show.

There is a void for popular drama that mainstream broadcasters are struggling to fill - only CTM and DA are the really bona fide hits - but that is because executives are missing what should be staring them in the face ... executives at ITV especially, who should be forced to rewatch all the big hits the channel had in the late 80s/early 90s. Tastes may have evolved - but not that much.

So the likes of Wanted Down Under, Handmade Revolution and Breakaway will be moving across. What's the plan for BBC Two after then?


The BBC were commissing programming for ITV?

Has the children's budget has been increased for CITV now?


The BBC repeats Total Wipeout on CBBC??? What have the children done to deserve that?

Ah well, I'll let it lie now. I just think from the off (maybe not now as CBBC has established itself) children's TV should've been given time on BBC One or BBC Two (probably the latter) across the day rather than setting up a whole new channel. But it's a moot point now.

MPD was compulsive when it started but now its just filler TV. It doesn't deserve such a high profile slot. It would work better stripped Monday-Thursday 3 or 4 times per year, like the original series. It just isn't a weekend show especially whilst X Factor is on.

The irony is Channel 4 are airing 'Baggage' to a pitifully low audience on a Friday, but that is the perfect trash TV that could work in the 9pm slot, paired up with Alan Carr. But airing it against the soaps is just asking for it to flop.

With regards to last nights X Factor figures, its about where it should be. I can see it remaining fairly steady at around 9m on a Saturday and 10m on a Sunday, over the coming weeks the decline will begin to fall. It hasn't been the best year for the show but after last years upheaval and the figures dropping like a stone going from record highs to recent record lows, this year was always going to be a fair bit lower but it has been very consistent. That gives them a good grounding for next year.

They should have treated it exactly the same as ITV treated Millionaire at first (before they completely lost the plot with it) - maybe a stripped week, including two weekends, at Christmas and a stripped week, including two weekends, straight after the Britain's Got Talent final. Keep it as minimal as event-like as possible instead of throwing it anywhere and everywhere.

Meanwhile ITV's share price is now the highest it has been at any time since late 2007.

Maybe ITV is not doing quite as badly as some people appear to think?

http://www.google.co.uk/finance?client=ob&q=LON:ITV#

NB. Click on 5y (top left corner of rectangle with graph in it) for 5 year graph.

Repeats of mostly factual programming from across the BBC will fill BBC2's mornings and weekday afternoons, replacing the CBBC/CBeebies blocks. A while back I produced a fantasy BBC2 themed schedule, which might be something like what they will do:




Reading ITV's half-yearly financial statement it appears that cost-cutting, the production arm and the multichannels have boosted profits. The document admits however that total share of viewing across the 'ITV Family' was down 1% on a year ago - the digital channels' gains obviously not quite offsetting the flagship's losses.

To a point, but I'm not sure if sponsors would be keen on an edgy drama until it had proven itself. ITV is in a catch 22, they know they need to be better, but this means experimenting, which is costly and can backfire. I still wish for the simpler world of four channels when ITV could show current affairs and a soap in the same schedule.

Yes, I agree, viewers are now getting tired of endless soaps, poor entertainment and reality shows. CTM was a success because it was a well made period drama with an excellent cast and given the choice of Z list celebs skating or a quality drama, viewers opted for the drama. Viewers in the main still hanker for good drama, comedy and decent documentaries.

Wow! that would be the best daytime schedule in the world. Hope it's a little bit like that.

Ken

Thanks. There are 1 million hours of content in the BBC archive: they've just got to choose carefully and schedule appropriately and I think BBC2 could still rate pretty well in daytime come January.

Yes, I think that's a good summary.

My point is that this talk of a "ratings crisis" (title of thread in Broadcasting) isn't consistent with how the company as a whole is performing.

If there was a "ratings crisis" the company wouldn't be performing as well as it is - given that the company's overwhelmingly biggest activity is selling TV airtime.

And indeed the share price has performed extremely strongly in the 2 months since the 2012 H1 results which you posted were issued - ie precisely during the time when the "ratings crisis" is supposed to have taken place.

got to say I am surprised at the investor confidence there seems to be in ITV.

ITVs only pay option is the HD channels, in a deal with News Corp, meaning any money coming in, is split with NewsCorp. Meanwhile the ITV Player continues to be a dud, and for all the talk, we are no where near the launch of micropayments or a Pay ITV Player.

Fair enough the digital channels continue to better define themselves, and show some growth, but ITV is far from turned around, it does not really have any big shows it can sell around the world via ITV Studios, and ratings for ITV 1 are far from secure.

It's quite possible with Kids TV going they could be better off. I would rather watch an old doc over the normal Daytime stuff any day.

I actually think the daytime shake up is good for BBC Two because the new schedule will probably feel more BBC Two. At the moment it feels like the same old BBC daytime stuff you find on One.

I'm all for it. BRING IT ON!!! (said in a Tom Baker voice)

Ken

BBC2 daytime is currently BBC1 Lite. Not sure how much money the chance will save the BBC, given that BBC2's current schedule is practically all repeats, but it will certainly earn them brownie points. And I'm sure there must be pensioners who would value something meatier on daytime TV than buying houses and selling ornaments.

Major problem at XFactor, their joke act ratings card Ryland, who they were hoping to be the next Jedward of Wagner, is already in the bottom 2 in the first week. Do XFactor judges send him home which they should do based on vocal ability or will they save him just for the ratings value he has but dent the integrity of the competition?

Wow.....just wow.

You spoke to soon - that result was absolutely inevitable, especially with Louis having the casting vote and Gary storming off, guaranteeing headlines this week.

You're still watching The X Factor then? Despite how you've branded it as rubbish and ready for the axe for the last 8 weeks?

Hmmm...Gary Barlow's just walked off the stage after the bottom 2 vote was taken to deadlock and Rylan was saved. That was after Louis went back on his decision to save Carolynn, saying he'll take it to deadlock.

A ridiculous attempt to try and court controversy on The X Factor this evening then. Always fun. Not that the producers are concerned about the ratings or anything...

It was so scripted, it was just stupid. It was clearly faked. The producer must have had a whisper in Louis' ear to change his decision.