Insight Feature: Moving Targets At ITV
When ITV introduced self-imposed peak time audience share targets early in 1998 the industry was surprised and sceptical at how they could be achieved. Within a few months of the announcement it became clear that ITV intended to remove the News At Ten, replacing it with a later bulletin and opening the way for more popular programming during the peak-hours. After much wrangling and debate the news bulletin was axed in March 1999. Nevertheless, ITV’s marketing manager John Hardie has since stated that the targets were set with a “large dose of optimism” and previous ITV chief executive Richard Eyre said that if the “fantastically ambitious” targets were met he should deserve “at least a knighthood”.
To be fair to ITV, overall share of viewing has fallen at the same rate as BBC 1’s, as both channels are feeling the pressure from a growing multi-channel audience. ‘Other’ channels have seen share rise from 7.5% in 1995 to 17.5% in 2000 in all homes; they take an even larger share in digital and cable and satellite homes. ITV says that it is now going to concentrate not on peak time share, but on building the key ABC1 and 16-34 year old audience. Figures show that share of viewing from 16-34s to ITV is also falling, again more or less at the same rate as BBC 1, from over 30% three years ago to a low of 22.5% in August 2000. However, there has been a recent upturn in this group, with share climbing back up to 27.4% towards the end of last year.
Beating BBC1’s “shamelessly commercial” schedules remains a primary aim for ITV, which hopes to maintain and increase the current 7.4% overall difference and eliminate the 4% lead the BBC currently enjoys for daytime. Some may question whether ITV is tackling the right enemy by continuing the ratings war with its non-commercial rival. Little mention of audience loss to multi-channel stations and a continuing lack of carriage deal with Sky Digital beg the question “Is ITV taking the threat of multi-channel TV seriously?”