ITV warns on ‘challenging’ ad market as pandemic hits profit March 9, 2021 ITV today warned that the advertising market remained “challenging” as it reported sharp falls in revenue and profit due to the impact of the pandemic. The London-listed firm, which last night aired Oprah Winfrey’s eagerly-awaited interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, posted a 16 per cent drop in total revenue to £2.8bn in 2020. [...]
ITV hoping to replicate CBS’s ratings success with Harry and Meghan interview March 8, 2021 ITV hoping to replicate CBS’s ratings success with Harry and Meghan interview
The Week Ahead: ITV, Rolls Royce, Morrison, ECB and UK GDP data March 8, 2021 It’s Monday morning. Morning Wire looks ahead at what this week has in store. China Trade for February This morning – The Chinese economy finished 2020 on a strong note, its surplus hitting a record high in December. Exports rose by 18.1 per cent, slightly down from November’s 21.1 per cent but still better than expected, [...]
ITV shares rise as channel secures Meghan and Harry Oprah interview March 3, 2021 ITV shares pushed higher today as the broadcaster revealed it has secured UK rights to Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The London-listed company fended off competition from rivals Sky and Channel 4 to acquire the eagerly-awaited chat, in which the couple discuss their decision to quit the royal family. The special [...]
The show must go on: How UK film and TV ploughed through the pandemic February 6, 2021 From Tiger King to The Serpent, hit TV shows have become cultural currency in an era defined by lockdowns. With millions of Brits forced to stay at home, film and TV has been one of the few avenues for entertainment over the last year, providing a much-needed dose of escapism during the pandemic. But for [...]
ITV taps headhunter Stuart Spencer to pick new chairman January 15, 2021 ITV is said to have hired executive search firm Stuart Spencer as it kicks off the hunt for a replacement to outgoing chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette. The broadcaster’s nominations committee, led by former Jupiter Fund Management boss Edward Bonham Carter, has tapped the US headhunter to scout out potential applicants, Sky News reported. Bazalgette, who [...]
Love Island woos viewers as reality show tops ITV streaming charts December 28, 2020 Love Island topped the rankings for ITV’s most streamed shows this year as the pandemic helped drive up the broadcasters’ viewing figures. The most recent series of the wildly popular reality TV show, which was filmed in South Africa, racked up 130m requests on the channel’s on-demand platform ITV Hub. This topped the list and [...]
Mast giant Arqiva pulls out of Freeview venture amid streaming row December 1, 2020 British mast giant Arqiva is pulling its investment in digital TV platform Freeview in the wake of a row over how to stave off pressure from streaming rivals. The telecoms group said it will step down as a shareholder in Digital UK, the company that controls its joint venture with the BBC, ITV and Channel [...]
Chernobyl effect drives British TV exports to record high November 26, 2020 The value of UK TV exports hit a record high last year as blockbuster dramas such as Chernobyl sparked a boom in international demand. Hit TV shows generated £1.48bn in the year to March, a six per cent increase year on year, according to figures from industry body Pact. Scripted drama was the key driver [...]
Screenshot: Is this the end for impartial TV news? November 13, 2020 A weekly column from Morning Wire bringing you all the biggest stories and trends in technology, media and telecoms This week **Media Moment of the Week: How not the book the Four Seasons **Is this the end for impartial TV news? **UK protectionism: A tech takeover balancing act Media Moment of the Week This one’s [...]