ITV Discussion Thread

Surprised this hasn't been posted but Michael Grade has confirmed that ITV1 is to undergo serious change next year.

"He said ITV1 would be relaunching next year 'with a major facelift' and would become more efficient."

Now, can anybody see what sort of changes would constitute to a "major facelift"? Does he mean big scheduling changes (News timeslots changed possibly? soaps rejiggled?) or cosmetic changes? At the moment the ITV1 brand isn't bad, but it's a bit inconsistent (different sized logos, the various trailer endcaps), in places boring (music) and I can't bear the generic credits (who can?).

He's said the changes would be unveiled by Simon Shaps, the Director of Television - I've been very underwhelmed by him so far so we'll see if he pulls anything interesting out of the bag.

I can't see that he would tout it as a "major" anything unless something big was changing, so I don't think this just means more commissions at 9pm.

What could it mean? Hopefully they go the full whack, with a combination of a refreshed on-screen look, bold new commissions for the 9pm hour, revamped News slots and image (5.30 and 10 has been floating around online?) and no soaps after 8pm.

It's been discussed already in numerous threads, but it can't hurt to have a new one dedicated to the subject.

How many relaunches will that make it recently?

STV getting its new news hour at 5.30pm- 6.30pm from January

Grade has already ruled out bringing back News at Ten. Although the rumour only seemed to come from people on DS posting the suggestion so many times that it becomes a rumour

Scheduling wise I can't see the news or soaps moving - and to be honest I don't see ITV1 getting a radical new look either, though it does needs tidying up - most notably the oversized logo on the new idents.

I think though they'll probably replace the promo style and perhaps launch the touted new style ECPs.

ITV News is surely due a revamp - it's four years since the Theatre of News was launched, and although they had the mini-revamp when ITV1 got it's new look, it really does look dated now.


As for anything else - commissions at 9pm is about it really. I can't really think of many series due to be returning in the slot next year - so there should be a host of new programming about to be revealed.

I don't think the theatre of news has to be replaced as such. Watch this clip.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9K7aKUrdgd8

It shows how the same studio can look so different.

It would still fix the gaping 10pm hole of doom they have at present. Grade has pledged more 60 minute dramas - great, but then what of 10pm? Nothing seems to work (Benidorm is the only exception). I do think they should bite the bullet and go for the News changing to 5.30/10 and then commission something where there's more market at 6.30pm pre-Emmerdale. Something like Golden Balls would do well there I think.

The 10pm slot is esteemed for the place to be for News now and I do think ITV can at least take a reasonable share of the Beeb's offering (provided it starts on time, and is less tabloid). A realistic aim would be ITV 3m / BBC 4m every night for the News.

Then that leaves just 8pm, which is admittedly a rather large problem. Axing Coronation Street's 8.30pm Monday edition leaves the channel soap free after 8pm, which is rather good, but they need to use this slot for better factual and lifestyle formats. The Bill is getting a bit turgid now as well - axe one if its episodes?

I still cannot see how a few new commissions constitutes to a 'radical' facelift of the channel, nor how new trails and ECPs do. It must be something more; Grade wouldn't say it unless it was going to be something big-ish.

Perhaps a 5.30/11pm news bulletin -- I know that this would constitute a marginalisation of the news, but this could be compensated for by a short news sting at 8 or 9pm, much as the BBC are proposing.

This would enable ITV to schedule more edgy 1 hour dramas at 10pm -- perhaps including some US imports.

There is little reason though to move the 6.30pm bulletin - and though personally I always think the 6.30pm/11pm combination worked best for ITV as it gives them more options in the post-9pm slot, I don't think extending "prime-time" is an option for ITV at the moment as that would cost money.


Personally I think ITV should forget about looking for a 5pm chat show and instead experiment with a late-night version at 11pm - or even in the 10pm slot - three or four nights a week.

I agree, Every channel seems to fizzle out at 10.30pm. I can't believe in 2007 Britain still hasn't got any decent nightly late-night telly. Preferably though it would be something smarter and more intelligent then your average ITV 5pm chat-show.

I also have a problem with what is supposedly ITV's major strength - the 9pm Dramas. They're so middle of the road and are frankly crap. They need to be more adventurous (no more "psychological thrillers"), stop casting ex-soap stars and stop aiming primarily at women. Men talk about the Sopranos and The Wire but how many ask you if the watched the ITV 9pm Drama last night?

apart from the US where else has a good night time programmes?

or chat show?

I can't think of what they could possibly put in the 10pm slot. The only way they might be able to get good ratings out of it would be to go the Australian way and start programming at thirty minutes past rather than on the hour. If they had a strong enough lead at 8pm (say Emmerdale?) they could potentially keep audiences watching the next hour-long programme at 8:30. Then at 9:30, people will have missed the first half hour of a programme on another channel so they may choose to carry on watching ITV1 leading into the 10:30 news. Sure it would piss people off but ITV don't care about people anyway!

Yes I know, never going to happen, they probably wouldn't move Emmerdale for a start. What exactly was the reasoning for moving the news to 10:30? Why did they dig themselves this massive hole?!