Cliff Crown has been featured in Campaign Magazine, 5 September 2008, for his letter on ITV's programming strategy:
Dear Editor,
In response to recent news that advertising revenues are plummeting, public broadcasters should now take note of ITV’s strategy to invest in high-quality programming as the channel tries to operate more profitably in light of the current economic climate.
By making considerable investment in high quality content, which is the mainstay of ITV’s sustainable, long-term growth plans, the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster is strongly contradicting Greg Dyke’s recent view to slash the channel’s programming budget by £150m. Quality content, in particular drama, has its place in any broadcaster’s arsenal of assets, and should not be excluded or marginalised due to higher production costs.
With predictions of advertising spend likely to drop a further 20 percent throughout September, the path ITV is creating, and all public service broadcasters should follow, is to exploit content on all available media, including digital. ITV’s online revenues have risen by six percent in the first half of this year and ITV.com’s video-on-demand service has grown to an average of 6 million views per month.
Other strategies to optimise revenue and investments include the co-production of larger productions and working more closely with the independent sector to tap into their creativity and knowledge of the consumer.
Combining accurate forecasting with this new business strategy, broadcasters will find it easier to withstand an economic climate they cannot control.
For further information please contact Cliff Crown, Head of Vantis' Media Group, or complete and submit the online form below.