ITV’s chief executive has admitted the broadcaster must address a slump in ratings, after revealing that primetime stalwarts, including Downton Abbey and The X Factor, had shed viewers this year.
ITV’s total revenues rose 8% in the first nine months of the year to £1.8bn, with advertising revenues up 6% in the first nine months to £1.16bn.
Adam Crozier said the broadcaster would see TV ad revenue up 5% for the full year, which will be ITV’s “best outperformance of the market for five years”.
However, Crozier said ratings across its family of channels was “not as good as would like”, with its share of viewing down 5% so far this year.
“In 2015 we will focus on improving [share of viewers] and we have a strong programme schedule, with new and returning drama, including the second series of Broadchurch, as well as the Rugby World Cup,” said Crozier.
The broadcaster’s share of commercial impacts, an important measure used by TV advertisers, fell 6% on the main channel in the year to the end of October.
But there was a strong performance in terms of online, pay and interactive revenues, which grew revenue by 24% in the first nine months.
Crozier said that online, pay and interactive revenues would show double-digit growth again next year. Video-on-demand viewing also grew strongly, up 24% to 497m in the first none months. Production arm ITV Studios grew revenues by 10% over the first nine months of the year to £609m.
The company said it would make £15m in cost savings this year.
