ITV want product placement to be permited in programmes.

BroadcastNow! wrote:ITV commercial boss Rupert Howell has admitted the broadcaster is "scrapping for its life" as part of an impassioned eleventh-hour plea for product placement to be permitted in the UK.

Howell said product placement would give a vital cash injection to both ITV and UK indies, and help the broadcaster retain its commitment to its programming budget.

"It probably won't amount to much [to start with], but neither did sponsorship, and that now brings in £50m a year," he said.

"We are scrapping for our lives at the moment. We need every source of revenue possible – I don't care how small it is, we need it. We are counting the pennies, not just pounds. Every little helps."

Howell's plea follows an email to staff from chief operating officer John Cresswell last week in which he said that the advertising downturn was likely to put the commercial broadcaster under "severe strain". Widespread cost-saving measures will be revealed at ITV's 4 March financial results.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is finalising a review of the European Union Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which covers product placement. The review is due in the final week of this month.

Media secretary Andy Burnham revealed his concern that product placement would blur the boundaries between programming and commercials when the review was announced in July 2008.

Burnham's antipathy caused consternation in the industry, and independent producers have also been lobbying hard to convince him to change his mind.

Endemol UK's head of corporate development Alastair Roberts said he estimated product placement could be worth £100m to broadcasters and the indie sector.

If it is approved, Endemol will first look to feature products in its non-scripted factual and lifestyle programming. "Those are the areas where, from what we can tell, ad agencies are very, very interested," said Roberts.

"Across the industry, though, drama is under a lot of pressure at the moment, and if producers could receive funding [as a result of] a character driving a certain type of car, it would help enormously."

Roberts said that US shows such as Desperate Housewives and Lost proved that product placement would not damage the integrity of British TV.

"Viewers are savvy, and if a placement is too overt, they will soon find something else to watch," he said.

They'll be asking for sponsors during programming next (the norm in the US).

Would anyone miss ITV if it were to go to the wall?

I'd miss Harry Hill's TV Burp.

I would miss their excellent football coverage and analysis.

ITV deserves to go to the wall. It has such an odd approach to schedueling. Anything half decent gets bumped to obscure hours on ITV2 and I genuinely couldn't tell you what's on their weeknights.

Didn't they already try this during the Everton Liverpool game?

I only ever watch Harry Hill.

They have four channels and nothing decent on their main one. It's like they actually want to fail.

KKLEIN wrote:Would anyone miss ITV if it were to go to the wall?

Nope. I haven't seriously watched anything on ITV in years. Occasionally I might linger on it for a short while if I'm doing something else and can't be arsed to change channels again, but other than that, it doesn't cater to me at all.

Skarjo wrote:I genuinely couldn't tell you what's on their weeknights.

Well tonight consisted of Golden Balls, News, Emmerdale, The Krypton Factor (no idea), The Bill, Piers Morgan Investigates, News, Dexter (which is on now).

I can't believe they actually gave Piers Morgan his own show... :shock:

They really are the TV equivalent of the gutter press (or at least an equivalent). Goldenballs is actually okay though, but hardly anyone ever wins on it because 98% of the contestants are selfish bastards who lie about their true intentions until the final moment (they always say they promise to split the money, then steal, and neither wins a thing).

I've only seen one pair of people win anything. :lol:

KKLEIN wrote:
Skarjo wrote:I genuinely couldn't tell you what's on their weeknights.

Well tonight consisted of Golden Balls, News, Emmerdale, The Krypton Factor (no idea), The Bill,Piers Morgan Investigates, News, Dexter (which is on now).

Jesus strawberry floating Christ. No wonder they're in the shitter.

Piers Morgan...

They deserve to hit the wall just for giving that wanker a salary.

The only programmed I'd miss is the Formula 1 coverage... oh wait that's on the BBC now, lets scrap ITV then :lol:

PsychicSykes wrote:Didn't they already try this during the Everton Liverpool game?

Nice.

ITV used to be really good at Drama (Morse, Lewis, Poirot, Murder City, Taggart) but all they seem to make now is bloody Midsomer Murders. I'm surprised there's any villagers left.

Personally, i don't watch anything on ITV. Plus i can't think of anything they show that i do watch, besides Harry Hill's TV Burp. And that's easily moved to another channel.

satriales wrote:The only programmed I'd miss is the Formula 1 coverage... oh wait that's on the BBC now, lets scrap ITV then

So true.

I prefer his views on Tom Cruise/Scientology.

TV Burp
Champions League
FA Cup
Sherlock Holmes
Rumpole

Though Rumpole hasn't had a regular spot for a while, and they've started re-re-re-re-re-showing Sherlock already.

This should metaphorically happen to ITV:

ITV want product placement to be permited in programmes.

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