UK broadcasters call for new regulation amid threat from streaming rivals October 8, 2020 The UK’s public service broadcasters have doubled down on their calls for tighter regulation of the media landscape amid growing competition from deep-pocketed streaming rivals. The heads of the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 were today united in their pleas to bring British broadcasting rules up to date to contend with modern viewing [...]
ITV investigated by watchdog over viewer competitions August 11, 2020 ITV is facing a probe by the media watchdog over its viewer competitions after the broadcaster admitted that some postal entries were never counted in its prize draws. ITV referred itself to Ofcom after discovering that some postal entries were not entered into the winner selection process for six competitions between 2014 and 2019. The [...]
TV scripts get coronavirus rewrite as broadcasters resume filming May 18, 2020 TV scripts will have to be rewritten and stars will be made to apply their own makeup under new coronavirus safety guidelines outlined by the UK’s major broadcasters today. The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky were among the broadcasters to sign up to a new framework that will allow filming to resume on popular [...]
Boost for broadcasters as filming resumes on film and TV productions May 12, 2020 Filming on UK film and TV productions will be allowed to resume from this week as long as social distancing guidelines are observed, the government has confirmed. Firms had been forced to halt work on productions across the UK after the country was plunged into lockdown to stop the spread of Covid-19. But the sector [...]
ITV advertising revenue collapses in April amid Covid-19 crisis May 6, 2020 ITV has warned of a slump in advertising revenue for April as the coronavirus crisis ravages the broadcaster’s business model. ITV’s total revenue fell seven per cent in the first quarter to £694m as the pandemic began to take its toll. Revenue from ITV Studios dropped 11 per cent as the company was forced to [...]
ITV shares drop after broadcaster cancels Love Island May 4, 2020 Shares in ITV fell more than four per cent this morning after the broadcaster confirmed it has cancelled Love Island due to coronavirus. In a statement ITV said series seven of the hit dating show will now take place in 2021 as travelling to a villa in Mallorca for filming was “out of the question”. [...]
Ofcom probes This Morning over Eamonn Holmes’ coronavirus 5G conspiracy comments April 14, 2020 Media watchdog Ofcom is assessing This Morning after presenter Eamonn Holmes questioned why the mainstream media had slapped down a conspiracy theory linking the spread of the coronavirus to 5G masts. On Monday Holmes, a host on the ITV show, said that the media did not know if the conspiracy theory was true or not. [...]
TV sector faces ‘bleak future’ without government intervention April 6, 2020 The UK’s commercial TV sector faces “permanent change” as a result of coronavirus unless the government steps in to help, top media analysts have warned. In a note to clients published today, Enders Analysis warned a combination of declining advertising revenue and a shutdown in filming had left broadcasters and the production sector facing a [...]
Coronavirus: ITV bosses take 20 per cent pay cut as bonuses scrapped April 3, 2020 ITV today scrapped director bonuses and said its entire board would take a 20 per cent pay cut in light of the coronavirus crisis. The broadcaster became the latest company to announce executive salary cuts in the face of coronavirus, after scrapping its 2019 dividend and abandoning 2020 guidance. Executive directors asked that their annual [...]
STV scraps dividend as coronavirus hits advertising and production March 26, 2020 STV today scrapped its dividend as the broadcaster warned the coronavirus outbreak would impact its advertising revenue and production plans. STV, which holds the channel 3 licence in Scotland, said the downturn in advertising meant its full-year target of single digit revenue growth would now be “challenging”. The broadcaster said its production division had also [...]