ITV to close in-house productions for CiTV
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(Not sure if better suited in 'Whats Next' forum)
Thought this might be of interest to some people, taken from MediaGuardian...
11.30am
ITV to end kids' TV production
Leigh Holmwood
Tuesday June 20, 2006
ITV has confirmed it will close its inhouse children's programme-making department, saying it hopes to sell it as a going concern.
The broadcaster was forced to bring forward its announcement to staff following MediaGuardian.co.uk's story today that it was planning to get out of children's TV production.
It is the second inhouse production unit ITV has said it will close this week - yesterday, it confirmed its Bristol factual arm would shut, threatening 50 jobs.
The broadcaster has refused to rule out further closures.
An ITV spokesman said the decision affects 19 staff members who work at kids' TV production units in London, Manchester and Leeds.
The division makes shows such as My Parents are Aliens and Engie Bengy.
"We can confirm that we are consulting on the disposal of ITV Productions Kids," the spokesman said.
"The decision is part of [an] ongoing process of restructuring within ITV Productions, and ITV plc more generally, to improve efficiency in the business.
"The ITV Productions Kids unit has been responsible for many great children's programmes, and ITV Productions Kids content will continue to be seen on ITV for some time to come.
"This decision reflects the competitive production environment and is not a reflection of the quality of the unit's work over many years.
"We will of course be consulting fully with employees and unions about the changes, and are looking at the options for selling or disposing of the unit as a going concern."
The spokesman denied ITV intended to ditch children's programming from its schedule, saying the broadcaster was happy with the performance of its kids' channel which launched three months ago.
However, he refused to rule out the prospect of a withdrawal from children's programming in the future.
"This is a production decision, not a scheduling decision," he said.
"CiTV will remain as the home of high-quality kids' programming. Launched in March this year, the CiTV channel is proving hugely popular with kids and has, in three months, already overtaken established channels like Nickelodeon."
Senior sources have told MediaGuardian.co.uk that ITV's eventual plan is to get out of children's programming altogether, particularly because of the forthcoming ban on junk food adverts and the broadcaster's own current poor advertising revenues.
Media regulator Ofcom would have to give the move the green light, although it has previously proved sympathetic to ITV's attempt to cut back on children's programming, recently allowing a reduction of two hours to just eight hours a week.
"I think the writing is on the wall for CiTV," one source told MediaGuardian.co.uk. "The closure of Granada Kids is just the preamble.
"ITV's desperation on ad revenue together with the junk food ad ban means they can do better in other commercial impacts. They believe they will be able to roll Ofcom over. It will be a scandal if that happens."
It is thought ITV commissions around £28m worth of kids' programming a year.
The cuts are part of the continuing clampdown on costs by the ITV chief executive, Charles Allen. Allen is to unveil his strategy to the city this week.
Looks like the days of CiTV are coming to end or atleast set to change significantly.
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Senior sources have told MediaGuardian.co.uk that ITV's eventual plan is to get out of children's programming altogether, particularly because of the forthcoming ban on junk food adverts and the broadcaster's own current poor advertising revenues.
Looks like we've found the reason! They are only interested in their profits....
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From MediaGuardian yesterday...
ITV1 must keep kids' programming
Jason Deans
Monday September 25, 2006
Ofcom has rejected ITV's proposal to drop children's programming from the ITV1 weekday afternoon schedule.
Today's decision will come as a blow to the broadcaster, which had been hoping to shore up its flagship channel's ratings performance on weekday afternoons by dumping its CiTV kids' programming and replacing it with daytime output aimed at a wider adult audience.
"The Ofcom board declined a proposal from ITV plc for a significant change in the volume of children's programmes on ITV1," said a spokesman for the regulator.
An ITV spokeswoman said: "Ofcom has acknowledged that children's output is an area that might be difficult to sustain on ITV1 in the runup to digital switchover.
"ITV has consulted with Ofcom on the provision of children's programming on ITV1 and we take note of Ofcom's public statement on this matter.
"ITV will meet its regulatory requirements and plans for ITV's schedule will be set out in our statement of programme policy which we are currently preparing for 2007."
The broadcaster had been hoping to drop its CiTV weekday output next year, to make ITV1 more competitive in the afternoons.
The broadcaster has already cut back the amount of CiTV output on ITV1 from 90 minutes a day to an hour, since the launch of its CiTV digital channel earlier this year.
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