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  • Broadcast Greenlight

    The results of the Indie Survey 2012

Broadcast
Kate McMahon

Kate McMahon has been a reporter at Broadcast since July 2008. She writes news and features for the magazine and online, covering ITV and indies ranging from Fremantle to Rain Media. She also assists in producing video content for Broadcast's website. Kate began her journalism career at 16, co-editing a youth supplement for The Age newspaper in her native Melbourne. She has since worked for a variety of titles including The Sydney Morning Herald, Media Week and The FT Adviser as well reporting for various television and radio news services.

  • Remy Blumenfeld & Paul Buccieri, ITV Studios

    8-Apr-2010

    ITV Studios’ UK and US bosses are looking for new indie partners and fresh formats that work in multiple territories.

  • Claire Zolkwer, ITV entertainment

    1-Apr-2010

    The broadcaster’s commissioning editor of entertainment wants more channel-defining celebrity reality series, plus fresh ideas for family-style gameshows.

  • Pact criticises BBC online cuts

    19-Mar-2010

    Indie execs have spelt out the dangers of the BBC cutting spend in digital media to top BBC officials, with trade body Pact slamming the proposals as a ‘backwards step’ for the industry.

  • Katie Price beats BBC2 and C4

    19-Mar-2010

    Katie Price’s ITV2 reality show scooped its highest audience to date last night, beating BBC2 and Channel 4 in the process.

  • Huggett joins Windfall

    19-Mar-2010

    Windfall Films, the indie behind Inside Nature’s Giants, has hired Nicky Huggett as head of development as it eyes a push on entertainment formats and ob doc specials.

  • Adam Crozier to earn £1m a year at ITV

    18-Mar-2010

    Incoming ITV chief executive Adam Crozier will earn £1m a year in his new role with a £620,000 “golden hello”, but could pocket £11.3m by 2013 if he can revive the fortunes of the terrestrial broadcaster.   

  • ITV thrown CRR lifeline

    18-Mar-2010

    ITV has been thrown a lifeline in its battle to overturn its Contract Rights Renewal Scheme after the government said it may be able to use a loophole to abolish the advertising mechansim.

  • ITV1 returning to Benidorm

    18-Mar-2010

    The perma tanned Brits of Benidorm will be heading back to Spain for a special episode and another series for ITV1.

  • Pilger to probe media’s role in Afghanistan for ITV1 exposé

    18-Mar-2010

    Documentary-maker John Pilger will explore the media’s role in the Afghanistan war in a groundbreaking programme set to star in ITV1’s autumn schedule.

  • Toksvig to front BBC2 primetime antiques offering

    18-Mar-2010

    BBC2 has secured comedian and actress Sandi Toksvig to front a primetime series touted as MasterChef for antique lovers.

  • ITV cleared for Friends Reunited sale

    18-Mar-2010

    The Competition Commission has officially cleared the sale of ITV’s social networking website Friends Reunited to geneaolgy company Brightsolid.

  • Five launches show to find UK Glee club

    18-Mar-2010

    Five is lining up a live entertainment spectacular to find a real life UK Glee club.

  • Pineapple bound for US as ITVS signs Pulse deal

    18-Mar-2010

    Pineapple Dance Studios is heading to the US with ITV Studios after the commercial broadcaster’s production arm inked a deal with producer Pulse Films.

  • GMG axes original content and staff at Channel M

    17-Mar-2010

    All but four jobs at Manchester based TV regional station Channel M have been placed into consultation, after owners GMG axed the channel’soriginal output.

  • Ofcom: No This Morning sex investigation

    16-Mar-2010

    Ofcom is not planning to investigate viewers complaints about This Morning’s sex-themed week, Sex Up Your Life.

  • Glee for E4 as it trumps terrestrials

    16-Mar-2010

    E4 import Glee continued its impressive performance last night with a huge crowd of 1.6m on E4 – equalling BBC2 and edging out Five.

  • Clint makes Five's day

    16-Mar-2010

    Five’s strategy of showing old Clint Eastwood westerns paid dividends again last night, as ITV1 relationship drama Married Single Other lost out to a repeat of BBC1’s New Tricks.

  • Watts named vice chair of Pact Council

    15-Mar-2010

    The indie chief behind kids show Horrid Henry has been named as the new vice chair of the Pact Council.

  • Cameron's ITV1 appearance falls short of Brown's

    15-Mar-2010

    David Cameron’s in-depth interview with Trevor McDonald drew just 1.6m viewers last night - less than half the audience that tuned in for Piers Morgan’s chat with Gordon Brown last month.

  • Ant and Dec fail to push buttons

    15-Mar-2010

    Ant and Dec failed to push viewers buttons at the weekend, losing 850,000 viewers on Saturday night.

  • ITV1 HD set for 2 April launch

    12-Mar-2010

    ITV will launch its first HD channel on 2 April after agreeing carriage deals with Sky and Virgin Media.

  • Posh School rules for 2.2m

    12-Mar-2010

    Documentary Too Poor for Posh School earned an A+ crowd for C4 last night, but it was ITV1 stalwart The Bill which was top of the terrestrial class.

  • Corden in League of his Own for Sky1

    12-Mar-2010

    James Corden-fronted sports panel show A League of their Own scored for Sky1 last night, but was not quite enough to eclipse Katie Price on ITV2.

  • Harry Hill sticks with ITV

    11-Mar-2010

    Bafta winning comedian Harry Hill will stick with ITV1, after agreeing a two year deal with the broadcaster and indie Avalon.

  • John Lewis opens its doors to 3.1m

    11-Mar-2010

    BBC2’s behind–the–scenes look at John Lewis pulled a huge opening crowd last night, with a peak of nearly 3.1m viewers.

  • Star agency James Grant to enter formats and rights arena

    10-Mar-2010

    The management company responsible for Ant and Dec, Fearne Cotton and Piers Morgan - James Grant Group - is to launch a newTV formats and rights division.

  • GMTV shake-up hits 20% of staff

    10-Mar-2010

    Almost one in five GMTV staff have taken voluntary redundancy or had their jobs placed at risk as part of the ongoing ITV integration review.

  • ITV tries comedy trio for primetime slots

    10-Mar-2010

    ITV is trialling three comedy entertainment shows across the network as part of a new push to find primetimeformats.

  • Norman asks staff: ‘How can we rejuvenate ITV?’

    10-Mar-2010

    ITV chairman Archie Norman is on a one-man mission to involve staff in his strategic business review as he prepares the network for transformational change.

  • Lambing Live delivers meaty audience

    10-Mar-2010

    Lambing Live drew its highest share so far last night, with a peak of more than 3m viewers - just a million less than the 4m that tuned into Larry Lamb’s BBC1 show, Famous, Rich and Jobless.

  • ITVS strikes deal for Hallmark’s TV movie portfolio

    10-Mar-2010

    ITV Studios Global Entertainment’s Noel Hedges has kicked off his new acquisitions role by securing the distribution rights for Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions’ made-for-television movie portfolio.

  • Arts back on ITV agenda as factual edges upmarket

    10-Mar-2010

    ITV is brainstorming ideas for a new arts strand as it looks to revitalise its factual slate.

  • ITV calls time on Blue Murder

    9-Mar-2010

    ITV1 crime drama Blue Murder has been dropped after five series on the channel, to make way for new properties.

  • ITV's Bristol studios sale falls through

    9-Mar-2010

    ITV has gone back to the drawing board after a £5m deal to sell its Bristol studios fell through.

  • BBC2's Solar System proves ratings wonder.

    8-Mar-2010

    The Wonders of the Solar System proved a wonder for BBC2 last night, with the new documentary series falling only 1m viewers short of BBC1’s Seven Ages of Britain.

  • Let's Dance sidelines Ant and Dec

    8-Mar-2010

    BBC1’s Let’s Dance for Sports Relief pushed all the right buttons for viewers on Saturday night, leaving Ant and Dec’s new ITV1 gameshow in its wake.

  • Crouch leaves GMTV as kids unit faces axe

    5-Mar-2010

    GMTV chief operating officer Clive Crouch is leaving after 18 years and the unit that makes kids strands Toonattik and Action Stations faces the axe following the company’s integration review.

  • 19 Entertainment to wind back London office

    5-Mar-2010

    Staff at 19 Entertainment are considering voluntary redundancy packages as indie behind American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance plans to wind back its London presence. 

  • Corrie launches 50th with live stage show

    4-Mar-2010

    Fifty years and 7,000 episodes of Coronation Street will be condensed into a two-hour stage show to help celebrate the ITV1 soap’s golden anniversary.

  • Smith and Stapleton leave GMTV sofa in shake-up

    4-Mar-2010

    GMTV News Hour presenters Penny Smith and John Stapleton are leaving the sofa as part of a wider shakeup of the morning programme.

  • ITV1 scores with England win

    4-Mar-2010

    Just under 10 million viewers cheered England to victory over Egypt last night, out gunning BBC1 drama Five Days.  

  • Drama with star quality

    4-Mar-2010

    After a tough 2009, ITV director of drama Laura Mackie says the broadcaster is back in the hunt for quality series – and she’s not playing it safe.

  • Carnival cash boosts key ITV drama series

    4-Mar-2010

    NBC Universal-owned Carnival Films is deficit-funding ITV1’s upcoming Julian Fellowes drama Downton Abbey to push its budget to about £1m an hour.

  • Talkback chief urges regulatory rethink to safeguard indies

    4-Mar-2010

    Talkback Thames chief executive Lorraine Heggessey has called for a widespread review of broadcasting red tape, claiming the rules on everything from CRR to product placement need to be “loosened up”.

  • ITV Studios set for cash boost

    4-Mar-2010

    ITV chairman Archie Norman has revealed his ambition to pump money into ITV Studios to reshape it as a creative multiplatform powerhouse.

  • Norman: No quick fixes for ITV

    3-Mar-2010

    ITV chairman Archie Norman is reshaping the commercial broadcaster for its long term survival, and warned shareholders that long term goals will be the new priority over short term results.

  • Broadcasters agree election debate rules

    2-Mar-2010

    The BBC, ITV and Sky have agreed on the rules for hosting the Prime Ministerial debates through the 2010 general election campaign.

  • Bradshaw: BBC shouldn't assume Tory victory

    2-Mar-2010

    Media secretary Ben Bradshaw has urged the BBC to have confidence in itself, and warned against the broadcaster preparing for a “viscerally hostile” Conservative Party winning the upcoming election.

  • Five Days murders Married Single Other

    2-Mar-2010

    BBC1’s stripped crime drama Five Days launched with a huge 7.4m viewers last night, as the audience for ITV1’s Married Single Other plummeted to just 4m.

  • Being Human finale peaks with 1.1m

    1-Mar-2010

    The final episode of BBC3 supernatural drama Being Human drew a huge audience last night, with a peak of more than 1.1m.

  • Dining Stars no winner for ITV

    1-Mar-2010

    The debut of Michael Winner’s Dining Stars failed to shine on Friday night, beaten by Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies and Wales’ rugby showdown with France on BBC1.

  • Norman set to reveal dive in ITV profits

    1-Mar-2010

    ITV chairman Archie Norman is expected to lay the groundwork for ITV’s turnaround plan on Wednesday morning, with a no-holds barred account of where the broadcaster has been going wrong in recent years.

  • Price boosts Piper drama

    26-Feb-2010

    ITV2’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl paid a visit to nearly 600,000 viewers last night after getting an audience boost from glamour model Katie Price.

  • Lawrence's last CCTV image seen by 4.2m

    26-Feb-2010

    Missing chef Claudia Lawrence’s last sighting, captured on CCTV cameras, was played out to 4.2m people last night on BBC1’s Crimewatch.

  • ITV makes final bid to escape CRR

    26-Feb-2010

    ITV has made a last bid to the Competition Commission to get its Contract Rights Renewal straightjacket loosened..

  • STV threatens third lawsuit against ITV

    25-Feb-2010

    STV chief executive Rob Woodward has declared STV “can’t lose” its two legal claims against ITV - and is threatening a third after disputing network profits from shows like ITV2’s The Xtra Factor.

  • New ITN arm lands Living deal

    25-Feb-2010

    ITN has secured its first multiplatform commission since restructuring its production divisions into one unit - a celebrity and showbusiness show for the Living channel.

  • Agency role reunites Grade with ITV stars

    25-Feb-2010

    ITV insiders and indies have welcomed Michael Grade’s “return to his roots” as the new non-executive chairman of talent agency James Grant Group, but some warned Grade’s “poacher-turned-gamekeeper” position could mean more co-pro deals for ITV Studios.

  • Walsh to host talent-spotting ITV1 gameshow

    25-Feb-2010

    Law & Order: UK actor Bradley Walsh is set to host a Zeppotron gameshow for ITV1 in which celebrities and audience members try to spot ordinary members of the public who have an unusual talent.

  • ITV orders best of An Audience With...

    25-Feb-2010

    ITV Studios and Shiver are co-producing a series celebrating the best of ITV1’s strand An Audience With…

  • Brands on the box: what will it mean for UK?

    25-Feb-2010

    As the debate over product placement continues, what do leading industry figures think? Emily Booth and Kate McMahon find out at our roundtable.

  • Aziz withdraws £5m ITV claim

    24-Feb-2010

    A local newsreader who attempted to sue ITV for £5m on the grounds of race, sex and age discrimination has withdrawn her claim against the broadcaster.

  • Desmond to give Wimbledon new push into China

    24-Feb-2010

    Wimbledon is being primed to become one of the biggest live sports events in China, following the appointment of ITV exec Mick Desmond as new commercial director of the All England Club.

  • Five CSI Trilogy peaks with 3.6m

    24-Feb-2010

    Five drew its biggest audience of the year so far with just under 3.3m viewers to its CSI: Trilogy beating all but BBC1’s finale of Survivors.

  • Michael Grade to chair James Grant Group

    24-Feb-2010

    Michael Grade is to be named chairman of James Grant Group, which incorporates the talent agency that looks after key ITV names such as Ant and Dec.

  • Married Single Other debuts with 6.2m

    23-Feb-2010

    ITV1’s new romantic comedy Married, Single, Other debuted with a solid 6.2m last night, more than six times the audience for the finale of C4’s Tower Block of Commons.

  • Frank Skinner gets Opinionated for BBC2

    22-Feb-2010

    Frank Skinner is set to return to BBC2 as the host of a new topical chat show, debating the country’s big issues with members of the public.

  • Ofcom clears Dancing on Ice over 'faecal' jibe

    22-Feb-2010

    Dancing on Ice has been cleared of using offensive language inappropriately, following hundreds of complaints over judge Jason Gardiner describing a contestant’s performance like “watching faecal matter that won’t flush”.

  • Baftas watched by 4.1m

    22-Feb-2010

    An emotional Vanessa Redgrave collected her Bafta fellowship award in front of a TV audience of 4.1m, but the A-list event on BBC1 slipped to the glitz of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice.

  • BBC3 beats ITV1's Operastar finale

    22-Feb-2010

    The finale of Popstar to Operastar failed to hit ratings high notes on Friday night, with just 4m tuning in to see Darius Campbell scoop the top prize – 300,000 less than the audience that were watching EastEnders cast interviews on BBC3.

  • Gypsy Wedding gives Cutting Edge 14-year high

    19-Feb-2010

    My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding pulled a combined audience of 5.2m to Channel 4 last night, making it the most watched Cutting Edge documentary since 1996.

  • EastEnders wedding draws 11.4m

    19-Feb-2010

    Bianca and Ricky’s wedding on an extended EastEnders was attended by a huge 11.4m last night, with viewers jilting soap rival Emmerdale.

  • ITV launches online mobile store

    18-Feb-2010

    ITV has launched a range of mobile ringtones based around its programmes, including the pub piano from Coronation Street and the theme tune for the remake of The Prisoner to help boost digital revenues.

  • ITV's Friends Reunited sale cleared

    18-Feb-2010

    The Competition Commission has cleared the sale of ITV’s social networking site Friends Reunited to genealogy group Brightsolid after concluding the tie up “posed no threat” to other online family tree sites.

  • Winter Olympics peaks with 3.6m

    18-Feb-2010

    Thrills and spills in the women’s downhill ski race helped BBC2 post a strong early evening performance last night, but it still came in bronze medal position behind rivals ITV1 and BBC1.

  • Mammoth Screen to adapt Fear of Flying

    18-Feb-2010

    Wuthering Heights indie Mammoth Screen is set to adapt Erica Jong’s iconic novel Fear of Flying, with backing of ITV Global and US broadcaster the Sundance channel.

  • ITV buries hatchet to hang on to Taggart

    18-Feb-2010

    Taggart’s 26-year run on ITV is to continue after the broadcaster agreed an innovative co-funding deal with STV and UKTV’s Alibi.

  • Viewers complain over Gaga's Brit song

    17-Feb-2010

    Ofcom is reviewing last night’s broadcast of the Brit Awards following complaints about language used by Lady Gaga pre-watershed.

  • Holby hits the high note over Brits

    17-Feb-2010

    Liam Gallagher hurling his trophy into the crowd and a live performance from Cheryl Cole helped The Brit Awards hit a high note of 6.7m on ITV1 last night, but even that wasn’t enough to topple BBC1’s Holby City.

  • Price pulls viewers for ITV2

    12-Feb-2010

    Tabloid darling Katie Price proved to be ratings dynamite for ITV2 last night, with 1.6m tuning in for the premiere of her latest series – three times the audience of BBC3’s new reality series Dancing on Wheels.  

  • Boarding school and The Bill do well

    12-Feb-2010

    Channel 4 boarding school doc Leaving Home at Eight was watched by 2.1m last night, but The Bill was top dog at 9pm for the first time in 2010.

  • Bectu slams ITV salary freeze

    11-Feb-2010

    Bectu has denounced ITV’s “fat cat culture at board level”, criticising moves to give a multimillion pound salary package to incoming chief executive Adam Crozier while freezing staff pay levels.

  • New Midsomer star draws 6.5m

    11-Feb-2010

    The new star of Midsomer Murders, John Barnaby, introduced himself to 6.5m viewers last night, killing off competition from Rogue Traders and Embarrasing Bodies.

  • Women in TV: The big media brain drain

    11-Feb-2010

    Recent figures show an alarming rise in the number of women leaving the industry, and it’s hitting the heart of the creative pool. Kate McMahon unravels the reasons for the exodus.

  • ITV Studios looks to radio stations for FM funding

    11-Feb-2010

    ITV Studios is in talks with record companies and radio stations to help piece together a Primeval-style deal to fund a second series of Chris O’Dowd sitcom FM to air on ITV2.

  • C4 eyes Deeley pilot

    11-Feb-2010

    So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley has signed up to front a new treasure hunt entertainment format, where people race around UK cities to win a big cash prize.

  • Shaw prepares to front live treasure hunt stunt

    11-Feb-2010

    Extreme Male Beauty star Tim Shaw is set to be the centre of a bizarre multiplatform stunt in which people across the UK will hunt for a small steel box containing him, two cameras and £30,000.

  • Bragg heads back to the South Bank for last hurrah on ITV1

    11-Feb-2010

    The South Bank Show, the long-running arts strand that was controversially ditched by ITV, is set for a last hurrah with a 10-part series mixing new interviews with archive footage.

  • Product placement for Corrie, but not X Factor

    11-Feb-2010

    ITV has drawn up a top 10 list of programmes that are ripe for product placement that includes Coronation Street and Emmerdale - but not The X Factor.

  • ITV gearing up for fresh push on Studios content

    11-Feb-2010

    ITV Studios is poised for a fresh content push under the commercial broadcaster’s new management, with programming executives across the business preparing for a closer alliance between commissioning and production.

  • Last Woman Standing holds 375k

    10-Feb-2010

    BBC3’s new tribal sports series Last Woman Standing proved a tough competitor last night, but was no match for ITV2’s Vampire Diaries.

  • Amanda Holden ends Fantasy with 2.1m

    10-Feb-2010

    Amanda Holden’s Fantasy Lives ended its nightmare run on ITV1 last night behind every other terrestrial channel.

  • Future of Kent TV in doubt

    10-Feb-2010

    The future of online channel Kent TV is in doubt with nine jobs at risk, after Kent County Council confirmed it would not fund the project beyond its two-year pilot phase.

  • True-May: Midsomer will thrive with new Barnaby

    9-Feb-2010

    The producer of Midsomer Murders says he is confident the programme will remain successful, despite shaking up the cast by replacing John Nettles.

  • Glee hits high note with 1.4m

    9-Feb-2010

    US musical drama Glee is continuing to grow in popularity, setting a new audience high for its sixth episode on E4 last night.

  • Hustle ends on 6m

    9-Feb-2010

    Hustle rustled up a solid audience of 6m for the final outing of its sixth series on BBC1 last night, narrowly escaping Law & Order: UK.

  • Sky sells 10.4% ITV stake at £348m loss

    9-Feb-2010

    BSkyB sold 10.4% of its stake in ITV for around £196m this morning – a loss of about £348m.

  • Dannii Minogue set for ITV2 series

    8-Feb-2010

    X Factor judge Dannii Minogue is in talks to star in her own ITV2 reality series, which her agents will co-produce.

  • Super Bowl scores 22% share for BBC1

    8-Feb-2010

    The Super Bowl drummed up a huge share of nearly 22% for BBC1 in the early hours of this morning, as bleary eyed American football fans tuned in for the showdown between Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.

  • Take Me Out tops 5m

    8-Feb-2010

    ITV1 dating show Take Me Out topped 5 million viewers for the first time on Saturday night, while BBC1’s dance show So You Think You Can Dance inched forward from its performance last week.

  • Wedding TV turns Maltese

    5-Feb-2010

    Wedding TV is heading over the waters to Malta, after signing a deal with subscription based digital broadcaster Melita.

  • Pale proves interesting for BBC3

    5-Feb-2010

    Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts proved pale was interesting last night, with a peak of 601,000 viewers for her BBC3 doc on the dangers of tanning.

  • Price is right for Alan Carr

    5-Feb-2010

    Katie Price’s cagey appearance on the new series of Alan Carr: Chatty Man helped drive 1.7m to C4 last night – half a million more than the previous series launch.

  • No AFP, no commission, frustrated indies claim

    4-Feb-2010

    Indies have voiced frustration over broadcasters’ increasing demands for advertiser-funded programmes, claiming they are being forced to ‘buy their way’ into schedules.

  • Weekend warmth for ITV1

    4-Feb-2010

    Entertainment showdown sees ITV1 triumph over BBC1’s So You Think You Can Dance hopeful.

  • CBB goes out with a bang

    4-Feb-2010

    As confetti rained down on C4’s last ever Celebrity Big Brother, rumours were already sweeping the industry over whether another channel would look to pick up the rights from makers Endemol.

  • Execs urge Crozier to focus on ITV growth

    4-Feb-2010

    Top-level ITV execs are cautiously optimistic about the surprise choice of Adam Crozier as the company’s new chief executive, expressing hope that the “transformational leader” will increase in-house hits and revive the broadcaster’s digital ambitions.

  • It’s all singing and dancing

    4-Feb-2010

    Julie Andrews famously once said that the younger generations “probably wouldn’t even know what a musical was like”, but if this week’s ratings are anything to go by, they’ve never been more in vogue.

  • Murder on the Lake / So You Think You Can Dance

    4-Feb-2010

    Robin Parker and Kate McMahon pass judgement on a BBC4 Storyville doc and BBC1’s latest dance show.

  • Dacre and Gutteridge join North East news bid

    3-Feb-2010

    Former ITV News editor Nigel Dacre and Mentorn founder Tom Gutteridge have thrown their weight behind the North East News consortium bid from Ten Alps with Press Association and Trinity Mirror.

  • Brian Pern wins BBC recommission

    3-Feb-2010

    Washed up rocker Brian Pern is set to return to bbc.com after ITV Studios won an order for another eight episodes of the online comedy.

  • Vampire Diaries writes off Caprica

    3-Feb-2010

    The Vampire Diaries sunk its teeth into a meaty audience of 846,800 (3.5%) last night for ITV2, tearing strips off Sky 1’s new Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica.

  • STV defends indie status bid

    3-Feb-2010

    STV has defended its bid for indie status, with a leading exec at the broadcaster stating that the reclassification will not steal work from smaller Scottish indies.

  • Scarlet TV placed in administration

    2-Feb-2010

    Scarlet Television, the indie behind BBC2’s Delia Through the Decades, has been placed in administration.

  • Ten Alps on hunt for SEO company

    2-Feb-2010

    Ten Alps chief executive Alex Connock is looking to acquire a search optimisation company and is eyeing ‘low-key’ UK indies, after finalising the takeover of Singapore-based media company RBI Asia.

  • Corrie baby feud peaks with 11.3m

    2-Feb-2010

    Coronation Street delivered 11.3m viewers to ITV1 last night as Weatherfield’s star couple argued over keeping a baby.

  • ITN to launch German showbiz channel

    2-Feb-2010

    ITN has inked a deal with YouTube to produce a new German showbiz channel.

  • Pact: STV indie status will harm Scotland

    1-Feb-2010

    Pact has warned against granting STV’s production arm indie status, claiming that the reclassification will harm the Scottish indie sector with little benefit for the commercial broadcaster.

  • Mo and Murray score ratings magic

    1-Feb-2010

    Julie Walters dramatic turn as Mo Mowlam and Andy Murray’s defeat in the final of the Australian Open helped drive a ratings bonanza for C4 and BBC1 yesterday.

  • BBC1's Dance loses 1.2m partners

    1-Feb-2010

    BBC1’s So You Think You Can Dance had trouble finding a dance partner on Saturday night, with its lowest audience of the series so far.

  • Fincham to stay at ITV

    29-Jan-2010

    ITV’s director of programmes, channels and online Peter Fincham is understood to be staying put at the commercial broadcaster, following the appointment of new chief executive Adam Crozier.

  • Crozier in line for £2m farewell

    29-Jan-2010

    ITV’s new chief executive, Adam Crozier, is in line for a seven-figure farewell bonus when he leaves his current role as boss of Royal Mail.

  • EastEnders funeral attended by 10.3m

    29-Jan-2010

    Archie Mitchell’s funeral on EastEnders drew an impressive peak audience of 10.3m to BBC1, but the crowds parted when it was followed by Material Girl.

  • Cost cutting 'not priority' for Crozier

    28-Jan-2010

    ITV chairman Archie Norman has declared that cost cutting will not be a priority for new chief executive Adam Crozier, adding that some parts of the business will need to actually need to be “reinvested in”.

  • Crozier: a new tone for ITV

    28-Jan-2010

    ITV’s new chief executive Adam Crozier is known for being an affable, down-to-earth family man, who dislikes the media spotlight despite his high profile career.

  • ITV appoints Adam Crozier chief executive

    28-Jan-2010

    ITV has appointed Royal Mail boss Adam Crozier as its new chief executive.

  • Comedy indie Hoot launches with portal

    28-Jan-2010

    Award-winning comedians Ben Bond and James Rawlings have launched an indie with a comedy portal featuring online skits from Home Time’s Emma Fryer and Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder comedian Laura Solon.

  • Japan picks up Not Going Out

    28-Jan-2010

    Not Going Out, the comedy that was axed and then reinstated by BBC1, has been picked up by three more broadcasters.

  • CITV’s award-winning Bookaboo faces axe over funding gap

    28-Jan-2010

    Broadcast- and Bafta-winning CITV series Bookaboo’s future is in the balance as it desperately goes on the hunt for a deficit funding partner.

  • News pilot bidders demand legal protection

    28-Jan-2010

    Bidders to run the new independently funded news consortia (IFNC) pilots are still “in it to win it”, but many are demanding watertight termination clauses in their contracts after the Conservative party reiterated its desire to scrap the scheme.

  • Bartlett eyes US execs to ‘fire up’ ITV Studios

    28-Jan-2010

    ITV Global Entertainment managing director Lee Bartlett is looking to the US to find a head to “fire up” the ITV Studios’ newly reshuffled entertainment division’s output.

  • Amanda Holden's Fantasy flops for ITV1

    27-Jan-2010

    Amanda Holden’s Fantasy Lives was more of a nightmare for ITV1 last night, while Shameless marched proudly back into C4’s schedule.

  • BSkyB wins in £700m legal fight

    26-Jan-2010

    BSkyB has won a landmark five-year legal battle against computing firm Electronic Data Systems over a failed computer customer management system.

  • Prince Charles mourns loss of South Bank Show

    26-Jan-2010

    Prince Charles has denounced ITV’s decision to “abandon” its long running arts strand The South Bank Show in a speech honouring host Melvyn Bragg.

  • STV: dropping Sunday night ITV drama was a 'mistake'

    26-Jan-2010

    STV chief executive Rob Woodward has admitted that opting out of ITV network Sunday night dramas was a mistake. 

  • Mrs Mandela inspires 720,500

    26-Jan-2010

    BBC4 inspired a huge crowd of 720,500 (3%) last night for its blue chip drama Mrs Mandela, but failed to match the recent turn out for biopics of Enid Blyton, Gracie Fields and Margot Fonteyn.

  • Porter named STV head of production

    25-Jan-2010

    Raw Cut Television exec Rebecca Porter has been named as STV’s new head of production.

  • Being Human beats 24

    25-Jan-2010

    Being Human remained top dog of the multichannels last night, sending the new season of 24 away with its tail between its legs.

  • Jeremy Kyle set for US

    25-Jan-2010

    Jeremy Kyle is set to take on America, with ITV Studios announcing a new co-production deal with US distributors Debmar-Mercury.

  • Lowest ratings yet for CBB

    25-Jan-2010

    Celebrity Big Brother’s sparkle faded somewhat on Saturday night, with the 9pm live show drawing the lowest audience of the series so far.

  • ITV rebukes NTA vote rig claims

    22-Jan-2010

    ITV has rebuked allegations that the National Television Awards were rigged to help Coronation Street win the prize for best soap.

  • Heggessey distances herself from C4 role

    22-Jan-2010

    Talkback Thames boss Lorraine Heggessey moved to distance herself from the C4 chief executive role a day ahead of David Abraham’s appointment to the job, telling senior staff she was never part of the recruitment process.

  • UTV unveil IFNC team

    22-Jan-2010

    UTV has unveiled a heavy hitting team of news executives to lead its bid for the regional news pilot project in the North East – despite the Tories pledge to tear up the scheme if they come to power.

  • Lloyd Webber brands South Bank Show "the greatest"

    22-Jan-2010

    Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has paid tribute to The South Bank Show, branding it as the greatest arts television show of the last 50 years.  

  • BSkyB ordered to cut ITV stake

    21-Jan-2010

    BSkyB has lost a court appeal over its 17.9% stake in ITV, and will be forced to reduce its share in the commercial broadcaster to less than 7.5%.

  • ITV plans sweeteners for demoralised staff

    21-Jan-2010

    ITV is poised to offer its staff cheaper canteen food, bicycle schemes and childcare vouchers to help boost morale after admitting it has “scared the living daylights” out of them over the past 18 months.

  • Saudi TV begins formats push with The Cube deal

    21-Jan-2010

    Middle Eastern commercial broadcaster Saudi TV has picked up the rights to remake ITV1 primetime physical game show The Cube and is understood to be eyeing up other UK entertainment formats.

  • Ruling on BSkyB's ITV stake due tomorrow

    20-Jan-2010

    BSkyB will be told tomorrow whether it can keep its controversial 17.9% stake in commercial broadcaster ITV.

  • Bikers break records as footie scores

    20-Jan-2010

    The Hairy Bikers cooked up a record-breaking peak of 4.5m for BBC2 last night, despite football on BBC1 drawing viewers away with Manchester United and City’s showdown at Eastlands.

  • Cowell and Sony ink global joint venture

    19-Jan-2010

    Sony Music has confirmed a joint venture with Simon Cowell and TopShop mogul Sir Philip Green to create a new home for mega formats The X Factor and Got Talent.

  • Glee performs to 1.2m

    19-Jan-2010

    American import Glee continued to dance up a storm for E4 last night, with 1.2m viewers tuning in for the third instalment.

  • Ramsay's latest Escape serves 2.6m

    19-Jan-2010

    The opening instalment of Gordon Ramsay’s special on Indian cuisine was more a ratings korma than a vindaloo for C4 last night drawing a total of 2.6m viewers.

  • ITV fury at CRR ruling

    19-Jan-2010

    ITV has condemned the Competition Commission’s decision to keep the broadcaster’s Contract Rights Renewal scheme in place, claiming the watchdog’s proposal flies in the face of overwhelming evidence that the advertising mechanism is outdated.

  • ITV dealt ad blow by watchdog

    19-Jan-2010

    ITV bosses have been given just two weeks to convince the Competition Commission to relax its Contract Rights Renewal scheme, after the watchdog again rejected the commercial broadcaster’s plea to loosen its advertising “straightjacket”.

  • Dancing on Ice bows to Countryfile

    18-Jan-2010

    Countryfile managed to dint the ratings crown of ITV1’s juggernaut Dancing on Ice last night (17 January), with its episode on grey seals and war tunnels beating the first 15-minutes of the celebrity skating competition into second place.

  • BBC1 Dances with 5.6m

    18-Jan-2010

    Ratings for BBC1 series So You Think You Think You Can Dance stood still on Saturday, clinging on 5.6m viewers – a share of 23.9%.

  • BBC3 picks up ITVS ‘My Name Is Earl-style’ handyman comedy

    14-Jan-2010

    BBC3 has ordered an ITV Studios comedy starring Will Mellor as the reluctant heir to a family handyman business.

  • Fuller launches multiplatform ent show

    17-Dec-2009

    Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller has teamed up with MySpace, Hulu and broadcaster Clear Channel to launch a multiplatform reality entertainment format based on five young people trying to achieve their Hollywood dreams.

  • Watchdog to return in spring as live show

    17-Dec-2009

    BBC1 stalwart Watchdog will return next spring as a revamped live show, following lower than hoped ratings for the recent autumn run.

  • Russell resigns from ITV board

    17-Dec-2009

    ITV deputy chairman Sir George Russell has become the latest ITV board member to hand in his resignation.

  • ESPN Classic orders sports panel show

    17-Dec-2009

    ESPN Classic has stepped up its original programming slate, ordering its first quiz panel show from indie Bite Yer Legs.

  • Royal Variety outshines Jamie and Waterloo Road

    17-Dec-2009

    The Queen, Lady Gaga and Britain’s Got Talent dance troupe Diversity helped steer ITV1 to ratings victory last night, with The Royal Variety Performance crushing Waterloo Road.

  • Product placement ban kicks in for kids' TV imports

    16-Dec-2009

    Ofcom has formally banned all product placement in children’s TV programmes that air the UK, including shows imported from America.

  • Jamie's Family Christmas cosies up to 4.1m

    16-Dec-2009

    Jamie Oliver whipped up a huge crowd for C4 at 8pm last night, with his new Christmas cooking show attracting more than 4m viewers.

  • Thorogood to join ITV factual team

    15-Dec-2009

    Former North One TV head of factual, features and formats Katy Thorogood has been named ITV’s new commissioner for daytime and factual.

  • Ex-C4 commissioner launches comedy on shopping channel

    15-Dec-2009

    Former Big Brother commissioning editor Shed Simove has bought space on the Shop on TV teleshopping channel to launch comedy show Shed Simove: Ideas Man.

  • C4 orders NYE Rude Tube special

    15-Dec-2009

    C4 will count down to 2010 with a two-hour Rude Tube special featuring the top 100 viral clips in history.

  • Mister Eleven jilted for BBC1 stalwarts

    14-Dec-2009

    Bionic Woman star Michelle Ryan failed to save ITV1 on Friday night, with her comedy Mister Eleven falling flat against the BBC1’s double act of Have I Got News for You and Live at the Apollo.

  • Cowell rules out ITV bid

    14-Dec-2009

    Simon Cowell has ruled out the prospect of bidding for ITV with business tycoon Sir Philip Green and will instead focus on developing a politics-meets-entertainment format ahead of the general election.

  • Strictly slips against X Factor's 14.5m

    14-Dec-2009

    Strictly Come Dancing’s semi final took a tumble in the face of The X Factor on Saturday night, with 800,000 fewer viewers tuning in.

  • Joe's X Factor win watched by 19.1m

    14-Dec-2009

    An incredible peak audience of 19.1m viewers tuned in last night to see Joe McElderry win this year’s The X Factor.

  • ITV scotches 'last X Factor' claims

    11-Dec-2009

    ITV insiders have poured cold water on suggestions that The X Factor won’t be returning in 2010, adding that negotiations over the new series and a handcuffs deal for Simon Cowell will be wrapped up in the New Year.

  • Gavin & Stacey nicks The Bill

    11-Dec-2009

    BBC1’s comedy combination of Gavin & Stacey and QI nicked The Bill’s audience last night, as the Sun Hill police drama returned to ITV1 after a four-week hiatus.

  • ITV to send celebs on Norway trek

    10-Dec-2009

    ITV has ordered a cold-weather alternative to I’m A Celebrity… - sending two groups of stars on a 2,000-mile trek through the wilderness of Norway to the edge of the Arctic Circle.

  • Ruby signs ITV Studios co-production deal

    10-Dec-2009

    Small Island producer Ruby Television has inked a long-term development and distribution deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment and will work with the writers of Life On Mars for their first project as business partners.

  • Thinkbox tells indies to grasp AFP chances

    10-Dec-2009

    Thinkbox has stressed the huge opportunities that advertiser-funded programming offers the indie sector, despite confusion within the production community about how to pursue it.

  • UTV eyes Welsh and North East news pilots

    10-Dec-2009

    UTV is hatching a bid to run the independently funded news consortium pilot project in the North East of England, and hasn’t ruled out making a bid to run the Scottish news service either.

  • Below The Radar to swap ideas with US super-indie

    10-Dec-2009

    Belfast-based specialist factual indie Below The Radar has inked a landmark tie-up with the Oscar-winning US indie behind Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room and Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Hunter S Thompson.

  • UTV joins race for Welsh news pilot

    9-Dec-2009

    Northern Ireland ITV franchisee UTV has joined forces with Welsh News publisher NWN media to make a bid for running the independently funded news consortium scheme pilot project for Wales.

  • ITV2 picks up new American Idol

    9-Dec-2009

    ITV2 has won the rights to broadcast the ninth series of American Idol and will air the show just one day after its US transmission.

  • Grade: ITV could drop regional news

    8-Dec-2009

    ITV’s outgoing executive chairman Michael Grade has warned that regional news could be dropped completely from the broadcaster’s schedule if a Conservative government overturned Ofcom’s regional news pilot scheme.

  • ITV Studios acquisitions boss quits

    8-Dec-2009

    ITV Studios Global Entertainment director of acquisitions and co-productions Emmanuelle Namiech has announced she is to step down after 10 years at the company to pursue new opportunities.

  • STV ties with Facebook

    8-Dec-2009

    STV has inked a deal with Facebook to integrate the social networking site with its online offering.

  • Oberoi, Chadwick to head new ITN divisions

    7-Dec-2009

    ITN’s restructure is starting to take shape, with Asha Oberoi and Adam Chadwick appointed as managing directors of two of ITN’s three new divisions.

  • ITV to amend I'm a Celebrity guidelines

    7-Dec-2009

    ITV is set to implement a string of new guidelines to I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here to avoid animal cruelty on future series.

  • Strictly results take 8m

    7-Dec-2009

    Strictly Come Dancing’s first separate results show of the season pulled in a peak of 8.1m viewers on Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough to match the might of The X Factor.

  • Small Island sails with 5m

    7-Dec-2009

    Small Island made a decent splash last night for BBC1, but it wasn’t quite enough to topple Jeremy Clarkson’s Top Gear.

  • I'm a Celebrity ends with 11m

    7-Dec-2009

    Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo’s jungle win on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! roped in a tasty 11m viewers for ITV1 on Friday night.

  • The story behind News at Ten

    4-Dec-2009

    Broadcast’s ITV correspondent Kate McMahon delves behind the scenes of News at Ten.

  • Gallagher to leave ITV

    3-Dec-2009

    ITV’s director of group corporate affairs Mark Gallagher has announced he will step down from the company at the end of the month.

  • ITV Leeds to get £5m revamp

    3-Dec-2009

    ITV’s Kirkstall Road studios in Leeds are set for a £5.2m revamp that will move Emmerdale’s production facilities into the mothballed site and introduce high definition facilities.

  • Five follows C4 with YouTube deal

    3-Dec-2009

    More than 3,000 hours of full length Five shows including Neighbours and Home and Away will join YouTube’s new UK Shows channel.

  • News presenter drops tribunal proceedings against ITV

    3-Dec-2009

    West Country news presenter Jemma Woodman has dropped tribunal proceedings against ITV after accusing her former employers of “hanging her out to dry”.

  • ITV2 shows launched on iTunes

    3-Dec-2009

    ITV has soft launched a range of programmes for download on Apple iTunes, to test whether consumers are willing to pay for online content.

  • E1 to co-produce Skins US pilot

    3-Dec-2009

    E1 Entertainment, the company behind the Twilight movies, has joined forces with Shameless indie Company Pictures to co-produce the US pilot for Skins.

  • GMTV staff fearful as ITV looks to cut costs in 2010

    3-Dec-2009

    GMTV staff are heading into Christmas fearing that swingeing cuts will be made across the business in the new year.

  • STV planning co-production deal for Taggart

    3-Dec-2009

    STV is in the final throes of negotiating a ground-breaking deal with ITV which could secure the future of Taggart on the Channel 3 network.

  • ITV2 lines up factual strand showing celebrity family challenges

    3-Dec-2009

    ITV director of digital channels Zai Bennett has commissioned a new celebrity-led factual strand which will see famous faces, including Gavin & Stacey actor Larry Lamb, paired with their children to undertake mammoth challenges.

  • Alan Clements, STV

    3-Dec-2009

    Director of content Alan Clements tells Kate McMahon about his first year at STV, defends his decision to use opt-outs to fund home-grown content and reveals his plans for a US office.

  • ITV orders Dickinson chatshow

    3-Dec-2009

    Real Deal host David Dickinson has been lined up as ITV’s next chatshow host.

  • Grade: push through digital economy bill

    2-Dec-2009

    Outgoing ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has urged the government to push through the digital economy bill before the “guillotine” of a general election, in order to create a “level playing field” for commercial broadcasters in the UK.

  • CRR decision delayed until February

    2-Dec-2009

    ITV will have to wait until February to hear the final decision on whether its complex advertising mechanism - Contract Rights Renewal - will be relaxed, after a surge in submissions to the Competition Commission.

  • Delia's Christmas cracks 3.4m

    2-Dec-2009

    Delia Smith whipped up an impressive peak audience of 3.4m for BBC2 last night, as she presented her first Christmas cooking special since 1990.

  • Margot dances up a storm for BBC4

    1-Dec-2009

    BBC4 finished its run of blue chip dramas in the Women We Loved series with Margot drawing more than two and a half times the slot’s normal audience.

  • The Queen drops 400,000 as Celebrity gains

    1-Dec-2009

    C4’s stripped drama documentary The Queen faltered last night, shedding 17% of its viewers on the second episode.

  • Cowell, Green reveal X Factor internet push

    1-Dec-2009

    Simon Cowell and Topshop chairman Sir Philip Green are set to create a pay-per-view internet channel showing The X Factor live from Las Vegas.

  • Sharman kicks off GMTV review

    30-Nov-2009

    ITV director of factual and daytime Alison Sharman has put the search for GMTV’s new director of programmes on hold as part of a widespread review to integrate the breakfast channel with the broadcaster.

  • Viewers desert Family for jungle

    30-Nov-2009

    BBC2’s new relationship documentary We are Family failed to excite viewers on Friday, with 700,000 fewer than the slot average tuning in for the launch episode.

  • The Queen reigns over 2.4m

    30-Nov-2009

    C4’s drama documentary The Queen made a regal entrance to the schedule last night, pulling in 2.4m over the 9pm hour.

  • X Factor lacks Jedward Factor

    30-Nov-2009

    The X Factor continued to dominate the weekend’s viewing, but was lacking the Jedward factor, with ratings down since the Grimes twins’ exit last week.

  • Norman to start at ITV on 1 January

    27-Nov-2009

    ITV will start the new year with a new executive chairman, after confirming that Archie Norman would officially start on January 1 earlier today.

  • Collinson named Corrie producer

    26-Nov-2009

    The head of BBC’s Manchester drama division Phil Collinson has been named as the new producer of Coronation Street.

  • ITV2 orders more Katie Price

    26-Nov-2009

    Katie Price’s indie Pricey Media has secured a second series of reality show What Katie Did Next from ITV2.

  • Family bounces back as big guns misfire

    26-Nov-2009

    BBC2, C4 and Five recorded above average crowds for their big 9pm shows last night, as ITV1 and BBC1’s big guns Spooks and the UEFA Champions League failed to fire.

  • ITN signs archive footage deal with Shanghai Media

    26-Nov-2009

    ITN has inked a ground-breaking deal with China’s biggest commercial broadcaster, Shanghai Media Group, that will see its archive material transformed into a number of new documentaries.

  • Come Dine With Me creators cook up fresh format duo for ITV1

    26-Nov-2009

    The team behind Come Dine With Me and Britain’s Best Dish are to produce two new factual formats for ITV1’s daytime schedule.

  • ITV1 pulls the plug on Beat the Star after two series

    26-Nov-2009

    Beat The Star has been dropped from ITV1 to make way for new entertainment formats.

  • STV’s Hain hits out at lack of clean ITV feed

    26-Nov-2009

    The row between STV and ITV has intensified, after disagreements over whether the latter is providing its licensees with a clean feed of programmes.

  • Cast Offs premiere pulls 500,000

    25-Nov-2009

    C4’s new comedic drama about six disabled characters sent to a remote British Island made a solid start last night, with half a million viewers tuning in for its late night launch.

  • BBC4 hits high note with Gracie

    24-Nov-2009

    Jane Horrocks star turn in BBC4 drama Gracie! last night helped the channel to its best ever share and joint highest ratings to date.

  • Price exit from I'm a Celeb scores 10m

    24-Nov-2009

    Glamour model Katie Price’s exit from the Australian jungle saw a peak of 10m tune into I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here last night.

  • Cheryl Cole to host ITV1 special

    23-Nov-2009

    X Factor judge Cheryl Cole is set to star in a celebrity-packed special for ITV1 this Christmas.

  • GMTV broke sponsorship rules

    23-Nov-2009

    GMTV’s sponsored morning segment Talking Telly has been found in breach of the broadcasting code by Ofcom.

  • Aziz files £5m lawsuit against ITV

    23-Nov-2009

    A local newsreader is suing ITV for £5m on the grounds of race, sex and age discrimination.

  • I'm a Celeb bounces back to 10m

    23-Nov-2009

    I’m a Celebrity… was back with a bang on Saturday night with an audience of 10m (40.9%) after recording it’s lowest figures of the series so far on Friday.

  • Children in Need hits 12m peak

    23-Nov-2009

    BBC1’s Children in Need extravaganza ruled the schedule on Friday night, edging out Coronation Street and flattening I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.

  • Jedward exit peaks at 15.9m

    23-Nov-2009

    A huge audience of 15.9m viewers tuned into ITV1 last night to see Irish twins John and Edward get the boot on The X Factor.

  • ITV names ent commercial affairs head

    20-Nov-2009

    ITV has appointed former Reed Smith associate Sarah Clarke to the new role of head of entertainment commercial affairs.

  • ITN to cut 15 jobs in overhaul

    19-Nov-2009

    ITN has revealed plans for a radical restructure with 15 jobs expected to be lost across the organisation.

  • ITV Xmas '09 line-up

    19-Nov-2009

    Round-up of entertainment, music, drama and news programming on ITV1 this Christmas, as well as ITV2.

  • Three join forces for ITV news north-east bid

    19-Nov-2009

    Indie Ten Alps has joined forces with newspaper group Trinity Mirror and the Press Association in a bid to have the North East of England chosen as the third regional TV news pilot scheme area.

  • Carpenters hammer Waterloo Road

    19-Nov-2009

    Celebrating the Carpenters launched ITV1 into full blown party mode last night, hammering BBC1 school drama Waterloo Road.

  • Fincham upbeat as ITV1 ‘turns a corner’

    19-Nov-2009

    ITV director of television, channels and online Peter Fincham has declared ITV1 has “turned a corner” and is calling for more one-hour mainstream comedies and entertainment shows that can play on Fridays as well as weekends.

  • Is Archie Norman ITV’s ‘turnaround king’?

    19-Nov-2009

    Industry leaders have applauded the appointment of Archie Norman as ITV chairman, claiming the former Asda chief executive will be a dynamic force for change.

  • C4 orders Tintin doc

    19-Nov-2009

    Dom Joly will explore Tintin, the character created by Belgian cartoonist Hergé, for a Channel 4 documentary.

  • Temple directs Detroit doc for Films of Record

    19-Nov-2009

    Ten Alps indie Films of Record is to produce a one-off BBC2 documentary about the life and death of Detroit’s automotive industry.

  • I'm a Celeb dips to 8.5m

    18-Nov-2009

    I’m a Celebrity… lost nearly a million viewers last night, but the ITV1’s reality show still managed to attract more than twice the crowd that watched the finale of BBC1’s Around the World in 80 Days.

  • ITV Studios to undergo radical restructure

    18-Nov-2009

    ITV Studios is to initiate a major overhaul of its editorial and production teams, putting an estimated 15 jobs under threat and consolidating its entertainment and factual entertainment units.

  • BBC4 hits new high with Blyton biopic

    17-Nov-2009

    Enid Blyton biopic Enid helped BBC4 net one of its highest audiences to date last night, with a peak of 1.5m (7.4%) tuning in.

  • Katie Price lifts I'm a Celeb to 10.1m

    17-Nov-2009

    Glamour model Katie Price boosted ITV1’s ratings last night, with her entry into the jungle bringing a peak of 10.1m to I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.

  • ITV news pilots set for April 2010

    16-Nov-2009

    Independently financed regional news pilot schemes on the ITV network could begin as early as April next year.

  • GameLab scores Bafta hat trick

    16-Nov-2009

    The indie behind the BBC learning disability web drama Us5 has scored a hat trick of nominations for the 2009 British Academy Children’s Awards.

  • Collision cleans up with 6.4m

    16-Nov-2009

    ITV1’s A12 smash drama Collision came to a close on Friday night with 6.4m along for the ride – making it the channel’s third most successful new drama for ITV1 this year.

  • Doctor Who peaks with 10.4m

    16-Nov-2009

    Doctor Who special The Waters of Mars kicked off with a huge audience of 10.4m last night, but that was beaten by ITV1 pairing the return of I’m a Celebrity with X Factor.

  • Strictly and X Factor pull bumper crowds

    16-Nov-2009

    It was a bumper weekend for entertainment ratings, with both The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing scoring their highest Saturday audiences of the series so far.

  • ITN launches online Xmas channel

    16-Nov-2009

    ITN's multimedia arm has launched a new Christmas-themed channel with more than 200 pieces of original content, including celebrity interviews and films that reflect on the meaning of the holiday.

  • Sky slams free TV sports recommendations

    13-Nov-2009

    BSkyB has attacked recommendations to bring events such as the Ashes back on the protected list of free-to-air sports, saying it could have a “disastrous impact” on the long-term health of British sport.

  • Sports Personality to take on X Factor finale

    13-Nov-2009

    The BBC Sports Personality of the Year show will go head-to-head with ITV1’s heavyweight finale of The X Factor.

  • Misfits debuts with 446,700

    13-Nov-2009

    E4’s new teen superhero comedy drama Misfits made a strong start last night, with just under half a million viewers tuning in for the season premiere.

  • Octomom outnumbered by Collision

    13-Nov-2009

    C4’s documentary on ‘Octomom’ Nadya Suleman helped drive C4 ahead of BBC2 and Five last night, but was no match for the penultimate episode of ITV1’s Collision.

  • Michael Winner reality show wins peaktime slot

    13-Nov-2009

    Michael Winner’s upcoming reality series for ITV1 has been moved from a daytime spot into a peaktime position, after impressing commissioners with the pilot episode.

  • Ashes and World Cup should go free-to-air, says Davies

    13-Nov-2009

    The Ashes, international football World Cup and European Championship qualifying matches and Wimbledon should all be added to the “crown jewels” list of events protected for live broadcast on free-to-air television, according to an independent review.

  • Bebo axes staff and original web shows

    12-Nov-2009

    Bebo is cutting almost all of its UK staff as it looks to close its original productions business.

  • BBC1 scores with Best booze doc

    12-Nov-2009

    Calum Best scored a goal for BBC1 last night, with his Children in Need special on the affects of alcoholism winning its late night slot.

  • ITV Studios brands set to become iPhone apps

    12-Nov-2009

    Flagship ITV Studios brands including Dancing On Ice, This Morning, Coronation Street and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! will be turned into ‘freemium’ iPhone applications as part of ITV’s push to adopt new technologies.

  • ITV Studios staff fear further cuts are on the way

    12-Nov-2009

    Fears are mounting among ITV Studios staff that more cuts are imminent, with a meeting to announce a restructure of the production unit expected to take place next Tuesday (17 November).

  • ITV, STV: business partners only

    12-Nov-2009

    The war of words between STV and ITV has entered a new phase, with both sides declaring the current networking arrangements should be torn up to make way for a strictly commercial partnership.

  • Zodiak moves into comedy with Corner Shop

    12-Nov-2009

    Zodiak Entertainment UK has secured a foothold in the UK comedy market with a majority share in a new Bristol-based indie set up by former BBC head of new comedy Mobashir Dar.

  • Collision / Gary Glitter

    12-Nov-2009

    Kat McMahon and Robin Parker share their views on the latest shows.

  • Zeppotron makes Radio 4 show

    12-Nov-2009

    Endemol UK has won its first ever radio commission - a 5 x 30-minute Radio 4 panel series called So Wrong It’s Right.

  • ITV places CSA into voluntary liquidation

    11-Nov-2009

    ITV has put its remaining interests in cinema advertising company, Carlton Screen Advertising (CSA), into creditors voluntary liquidation.

  • Collision down 1.2m but still floors Ramsay

    11-Nov-2009

    Collision lost more than a million viewers last night, but still sped off with pole position for the 9pm hour, leaving Ramsay and Pudsey trailing in its dust.

  • Titchmarsh set for 5pm move

    10-Nov-2009

    The Alan Titchmarsh Show will take on the likes of The Weakest Link and Deal or No Deal next year, as ITV moves it to a 5pm slot.

  • Collision smashes competition

    10-Nov-2009

    Collision smashed up the competition last night, drawing almost double the audience of David Attenborough’s landmark nature series Life.

  • Jedward save sparks 3,000 complaints

    10-Nov-2009

    ITV has been bombarded with thousands of complaints following Simon Cowell’s move to save twins Jedward over Welsh crooner Lucie Jones in The X Factor on Sunday [8 Nov].

  • Product placement consulation underway

    9-Nov-2009

    The government’s consultation into the introduction of product placement in UK programmes has launched, with ITV boss Michael Grade stating it will put broadcasters on a “level playing field” with international rivals.

  • Jacko séance raises 606,600 for Sky

    9-Nov-2009

    Michael Jackson pulled a crowd even from beyond the grave this weekend, with Sky 1’s live séance to contact the King of Pop bringing in more than three times its normal Friday night audience.

  • X Factor's Grimes save scores 16.6m

    9-Nov-2009

    Simon Cowell’s decision to save hair-raising twins John and Edward Grimes over Welsh singer Lucie Jones proved ratings gold for ITV1’s The X Factor last night, with a record peak audience of 16.6m (54.1%).

  • Saturday X Factor scores 11.8m

    9-Nov-2009

    Movie-themed songs and the promise of John and Edward Grimes singing Ghostbusters brought The X Factor its highest average audience for a Saturday so far this series, with 11.8m tuning in (46.9%) - but Cowell’s huge audience didn’t hang around for Piers Morgan.

  • Gregory novel set for ITV1

    9-Nov-2009

    Philippa Gregory’s novel The Little House is set to be adapted for a “atmospheric and chilling” two-part drama on ITV1.

  • Peter Andre trounces C4 and BBC2

    6-Nov-2009

    Reality star and singer Peter Andre stirred up a huge audience for ITV2 last night, overtaking Channel 4 and BBC2 in the process.

  • Plater to pen ITV1 war drama

    6-Nov-2009

    Bafta award-winning writer Alan Plater, who first made his name scripting Z Cars, is set to pen a new one-off period drama for ITV1.

  • Peace, Gildersleeve lined up to replace Grade

    6-Nov-2009

    Carphone Warehouse boss John Gildersleeve and chairman of Standard Chartered John Peace have emerged as front-runners for the ITV chairman job, sparking rumours that the broadcaster’s search may finally be nearing its end.

  • Boost for The Bill but New Tricks nicks more

    6-Nov-2009

    BBC1’s old trick of scheduling New Tricks repeats against The Bill paid off again last night winning the coveted 9pm hour - but the ITV1 police drama is narrowing the gap.

  • STV sues ITV for £35m but Taggart will return

    6-Nov-2009

    STV has launched its own legal action for £35m against ITV and has declared it will bring back Taggart, regardless of whether the commercial broadcaster commissions a new series.

  • Ant and Dec sign £20m ITV deal

    5-Nov-2009

    Presenters Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have signed a two-year golden handcuffs deal with ITV, understood to be worth £20m.

  • Cresswell: STV is dragging down the network

    5-Nov-2009

    ITV chief operating officer John Cresswell has launched another stinging attack on STV, saying the Scottish subsidiary is “dragging down the whole performance of the ITV network”.

  • BBC1 drama Spooks the competition

    5-Nov-2009

    Spooks and The Family both made triumphant returns last night, winning strong audiences for BBC1 and Channel 4 at 9pm.

  • Sir Trevor to front Back2back’s troops message show for ITV1

    5-Nov-2009

    Sir Trevor McDonald will send Christmas messages to soldiers in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province in a one-hour special for ITV1.

  • BBC drive to get iPlayer on TVs boosted by deal with Freesat

    5-Nov-2009

    The BBC is set to bring iPlayer to Freesat, with closed beta testing to begin on the platform before the end of the month.

  • Ant & Dec family show to take over from Takeaway

    5-Nov-2009

    Ant & Dec and ITV1 are lining up a family challenge gameshow as the long-term replacement for Saturday Night Takeaway.

  • Wells back at ITV1 with Titchmarsh walks series

    5-Nov-2009

    Former ITV Studios executives Mark Wells and Glen Middelham have secured the first commission from their old employer for their new indie Rain, teaming up with Spun Gold to produce a country walks series with Alan Titchmarsh.

  • The X Factor: Winning result on all fronts

    5-Nov-2009

    Shifting The X Factor results show to Sunday night has upped ad revenue, media coverage and audiences, as well as changing ideas of what ITV1 has to offer.

  • Percy pleads to protect BBC

    4-Nov-2009

    Award winning documentary maker Norma Percy launched a passionate plea to the government last night, urging politicians to protect the BBC and its licence fee.

  • New look News at Ten adds 100,000

    3-Nov-2009

    ITV’s new look News at Ten piled on an extra 100,000 viewers compared with last Monday, but couldn’t topple the might of BBC News.

  • Churchill drama storms away with 2.5m

    3-Nov-2009

    Winston Churchill drama Into the Storm rode out with 2.5m viewers (9.8%) last night – thundering past the slot average by 600,000.

  • PM questions Ross' salary

    3-Nov-2009

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown has questioned the salaries paid to BBC stars like Jonathan Ross, but said entrepreneurs like Simon Cowell “deserved” their money.

  • Friends Reunited sale referred to Competition Commission

    2-Nov-2009

    ITV has been left “disappointed” after the Office for Fair Trading raised concerns about its sale of Friends Reunited to Brightsolid Group, and referred the deal to the Competition Commission.

  • Record-breaking X Factor peaks with 15.8m

    2-Nov-2009

    The X Factor smashed another ratings record last night with a peak of 15.8m tuning in to ITV1 to see Rachel Adedeji lose out in the final sing off to Welsh crooner Lloyd Daniels.

  • Coastal branch into films

    2-Nov-2009

    Coastal Productions, the Robson Green-owned indie behind Place of Execution and Wire in the Blood, is to make its first foray into feature filmswith an adaptation of the children’s book Ways to Live Forever.

  • Benidorm has last laugh over Armstrong and Miller

    2-Nov-2009

    Armstrong and Miller’s new sketch show continued to slide against Benidorm, with 3.7m (16.4%) tuning in for the third episode of the comedy duo’s new series on BBC1 last Friday.

  • X Factor down 1.3m but scares off Strictly

    2-Nov-2009

    Halloween delivered a minor fright for The X Factor, with nearly 1.3m fewer viewers tuning in for Saturday’s live performance show, but it was still able to scare off Strictly Come Dancing.

  • ITV pilots interactive variety show

    30-Oct-2009

    ITV1 is trialling a live primetime variety show featuring number-based games that will invite viewers to phone-in for a big cash prize.

  • YouTube's U2 stream attracts 10m

    30-Oct-2009

    YouTube’s move into streaming exclusive content live has been hailed as a huge success after almost 10 million computers around the globe tuned in for U2’s live concert from LA.

  • Andre's million can't match Price

    30-Oct-2009

    Peter Andre proved a dependable companion yet again last night, with his fly-on-the-wall reality programme bringing 1m viewers to ITV2.

  • Katie's face brings 3.3m to C4

    30-Oct-2009

    Former model Katie Piper’s harrowing recovery after being maimed in an acid attack handed Channel 4’s Cutting Edge strand its highest audience of the year.

  • Mackie looking for medical dramas

    29-Oct-2009

    ITV director of drama Laura Mackie has revealed she is on the look out for a medical series, and has a project in development from Wuthering Heights writer Peter Bowker.

  • X Factor’s £20m Xmas present to ITV

    29-Oct-2009

    Twin win of ratings boom and huge revenues spells break in the clouds for cash-strapped ITV

  • E1 raises presence with London base and hires

    29-Oct-2009

    E1 Entertainment International is set to open an office in London to help it secure more UK programmes for the international market.

  • FME and Atlantic in multiplatform dinosaurs project

    29-Oct-2009

    Atlantic Productions has teamed up with Fremantle Media Enterprises to launch the world’s biggest ever multiplatform initiative, for a brand called Dinosaurs Resurrected.

  • James May plays with 3.5m

    28-Oct-2009

    Top Gear presenter James May’s new series based around toys helped BBC2 take off in the ratings last night, outgunning every other channel except BBC1.

  • Peep Show closes with 1.4m

    26-Oct-2009

    Peep Show drew the shutters on its sixth series with 1.4m (7.1%) watching on C4, making it the show’s most successful series to date.

  • X Factor matches 14.8m peak

    26-Oct-2009

    The X Factor proved unstoppable yet again last night drawing nearly half of all viewers and matching last week’s record-breaking audience peak of 14.8m.

  • The Thick of It sticks with 1.3m

    26-Oct-2009

    The Thick of It made its return to BBC2 on Saturday night, with the premiere of series three drawing 1.3m (6.4%) against a tough line up of Match of the Day and Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.

  • Strictly's early start draws 8.4m

    26-Oct-2009

    Moving Strictly Come Dancing to an earlier time slot paid off for BBC bosses on Saturday night, with the show pulling its highest average viewing audience of the series so far.

  • Animal Planet orders third look at weird animals

    23-Oct-2009

    Animal Planet International and the Science Channel have teamed up to order a third series of Icon Films’ wildlife series Weird Creatures with Nick Baker.

  • BBC seals £25.5m cash boost for kids

    23-Oct-2009

    The BBC Trust has rubber stamped an extra £25.5m for the BBC’s children’s budget over the next three years - money that will be used to improve online audio services and regain lost audiences on BBC1 and the CBBC website.

  • Masterchef finale whips up 4.7m

    23-Oct-2009

    Masterchef: The Professionals cooked up an impressive peak audience of 4.7m (19.5%) last night, as Steve Groves was crowned champion for 2009.

  • Tony Ball appointed chairman of Portland

    23-Oct-2009

    Former BSkyB chief executive Tony Ball has been appointed chairman of the advisory council for communications consultancy Portland.

  • BNP Question Time lands 50% share

    23-Oct-2009

    The controversial appearance of BNP leader Nick Griffin on Question Time last night saw it record the highest viewing figures in its 30-year run, with a peak audience of 8.3m (52.4%) tuning into BBC1.

  • NCIS: Los Angeles makes strong start in UK

    22-Oct-2009

    Sky1’s new acquisition NCIS: Los Angeles got off to a flying start last night, with 505,000 (2.4%) tuning in for the premiere.

  • BBC surrenders in Strictly vs X Factor clash

    22-Oct-2009

    BBC bosses will move Strictly Come Dancing to an earlier timeslot from October 31, ending its head to head war with ITV1’s The X Factor.

  • ITV1 scores 5.4m with Chelsea win

    22-Oct-2009

    ITV scored a peak of 5.4m as Chelsea outgunned Atletico Madrid last night, but it wasn’t quite enough to topple the BBC.

  • UK drama indies told to look for dishier actors

    22-Oct-2009

    UK drama indies need to cast better looking actors if they want to sell to North America, according to several top distributors.

  • Northern Ireland: the window of opportunity

    22-Oct-2009

    After years in the commissioning cold, the promise of more network series has rallied the Northern Irish indie community. But is there a pot of gold waiting?

  • Tonight feels force of ITV shake up

    21-Oct-2009

    ITV’s premier current affairs strand, Tonight, is losing around two thirds of its in-house production team in an overhaul that will see a reduction in both the number of episodes and budgets.

  • Robbie Williams electrifies BBC2

    21-Oct-2009

    Robbie Williams comeback at the Electric Proms pulled in a strong audience for a difficult slot for BBC2 last night, with a peak of nearly 10% of the viewing audience at midnight.

  • STV unveils new programme slate

    20-Oct-2009

    STV has unveiled a raft of original new shows and acquisitions, including Lorraine Kelly helping people with emotional health issues and an observational documentary about Scottish troops in Afghanistan.

  • Armstrong and Miller return with 4.2m

    19-Oct-2009

    The Armstrong & Miller Show made a triumphant return to BBC1 on Friday night, with 4.2m (18.2%) tuning in for the latest series.

  • Casualty slips with Sunday move

    19-Oct-2009

    Shifting Casualty to Sunday night against The X Factor did not sit well for viewers last night, with just 4.4m (15.6%) tuning in to BBC1, but BBC2’s Last Chance to See fared better, ending its six-week run with a respectable 3m (10.4%).

  • X Factor hits record 14.8m high

    19-Oct-2009

    A record 14.8m viewers tuned in to last night’s episode of The X Factor - smashing the peak audience from last year’s finale and sealing a huge ratings weekend for Simon Cowell’s juggernaut.

  • UTV invests in tapeless future

    15-Oct-2009

    UTV has set out its ambition to become a fully tapeless broadcaster by the end of next year.

  • Cosgrove Hall on the brink

    9-Oct-2009

    Cosgrove Hall Films, the children’s animation studio behind Danger Mouse and Count Duckula, is facing an uncertain future after owner ITV confirmed the company has been placed under a review.

  • YouTube moves to tackle piracy

    9-Oct-2009

    YouTube executives have hit back at UK critics by revealing their technology is analyzing an increasing amount of content each day in a bid to tackle piracy.

  • ITV axes Kingdom

    9-Oct-2009

    ITV has axed Norfolk based drama Kingdom, after three series on the commercial broadcaster.

  • Criminal Justice dips a further 200,000

    9-Oct-2009

    Criminal Justice lost another 200,000 viewers last night, but its average of 4.2m (18.4%) was still more than enough for BBC1 to snatch the 9pm crown from long-running ITV1 drama The Bill.

  • Now Casualty will clash with X Factor

    8-Oct-2009

    First it was Strictly Come Dancing - now BBC1’s Saturday night drama Casualty will move to a Sunday to go head to head with ITV1’s The X Factor next weekend.

  • Bishop in pole position for ITV chairman job

    8-Oct-2009

    Sir Michael Bishop, former chairman of Channel 4 and airline BMI, has become the frontrunner to take the chairman’s role at ITV after Sir Crispin Davis pulled out of the running.

  • ITVS ties Weddings knot with German channel

    8-Oct-2009

    MIPCOM: ITV Studios’ Living format Four Weddings has been picked up at Mipcom by German public service broadcaster ZDFneo.

  • Scrabble - the TV show

    7-Oct-2009

    MIPCOM: ITV Studios is gearing up to turn the board games Scrabble, Pictionary and Uno into new television shows, following a deal with Mattel.

  • ITV Studios signs with Foxtel

    6-Oct-2009

    MIPCOM: ITV Studios has inked a deal with Australia’s largest subscription television operator, Foxtel, which will give the production house first look rights to co-financing future productions for the broadcaster.

  • ITV's six-figure offer for England qualifer rejected

    6-Oct-2009

    Rights holder Kentaro turned down a six-figure sum from ITV to show the highlights of the England World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on a terrestrial station.

  • BBCW to boost local content

    6-Oct-2009

    MIPCOM: BBC Worldwide is set to expand its international presence by ramping up locally produced content across all of its international channels, and boosting ad sales around the globe to help drive revenues.

  • Withnail star slams "boring" drama

    5-Oct-2009

    Actor Paul McGann has launched a blistering attack on the UK drama industry, claiming it no longer deals with a broad range of subject matter or has “the bravery to tackle things that might be riskier”.

  • Benidorm back with 6m

    5-Oct-2009

    Benidorm was back with a bang for ITV1 on Friday night with more than 6m tuning in for the launch of the latest season.

  • Kylie helps X Factor fend off Strictly

    5-Oct-2009

    Kylie Minogue’s special appearance on the X Factor helped ITV1 see off Strictly Come Dancing for the third week in a row on Saturday, with the show peaking with an audience of 12m.

  • Rob Clark, Fremantle Media

    2-Oct-2009

    Fremantle’s president of global entertainment wants shows with mass appeal. It’s a belief that has brought us Got Talent and made the company into a major global player.

  • Channel TV calls for police action on awards scandal

    2-Oct-2009

    Channel TV has called for a criminal investigation into the British Comedy Awards phone-in scandal, after members of the TV production team “deliberately” changed the 2005 People’s Choice Awards from Catherine Tate to Ant and Dec.

  • Channel fined £80,000 over Comedy Awards phone-in scandal

    2-Oct-2009

    Channel TV has been fined £80,000 by Ofcom for its part in the phone-in scandal that saw Ant and Dec wrongly given a 2005 British Comedy Awards.

  • Morrisons fund CITV series

    1-Oct-2009

    CITV has struck a deal with supermarket Morrisons to produce a new fully-funded 10 x 20-minute factual series called Farm Camp.

  • United's win gives ITV1 ratings victory

    1-Oct-2009

    The Champions League debut of German team Wolfsburg against Manchester United scored a peak of 6.7m (30%) for ITV1 last night, blasting away the competition.

  • Quest debuts on Freeview with 82,000 peak

    1-Oct-2009

    Discovery’s new Freeview channel Quest made a slow but steady start on its launch yesterday, with a peak of 82,000 tuning in to a documentary on the search for Noah’s Arc.

  • Holden becomes singer and showgirl for ITV1

    1-Oct-2009

    Mammoth Screen has been commissioned to make its first factual show - a 3 x 60-minute documentary for ITV1 called Amanda Holden: Fantasy Lives - in conjunction with ITV Studios.

  • STV says cost savings were major reason for axing ITV dramas

    1-Oct-2009

    STV director of content Alan Clements has admitted that costs were a major consideration in its decision to drop ITV’s drama slate - which is understood to have saved the broadcaster £4.5m this year.

  • Fincham: drama deals could be way forward

    30-Sep-2009

    ITV hopes to follow its resurrection of Primeval with more innovative drama funding deals designed to squeeze the most from its reduced budget.

  • Nearly 2m see Wilson put Two Feet in the Grave

    30-Sep-2009

    Actor Richard Wilson kicked some life into BBC1’s ratings last night with his documentary on death attracting a peak audience of 1.9m (13.5%).

  • I'm a Celebrity and Countdown set for console games

    29-Sep-2009

    ITV Studios formats I’m a Celebrity… and Countdown will be made into games for the Nintendo’s Wii and DS consoles later this year.

  • Primeval resurrected on ITV1 with UKTV deal

    29-Sep-2009

    ITV has resurrected hit sci fi drama Primeval for two new series in 2011, after agreeing a ground breaking co-production deal that will see UKTV have the first run of the fifth series.

  • ITV lines-up Grade successor

    28-Sep-2009

    ITV is believed to be in advanced talks with former Reed Elsevier boss Sir Crispin Davis and ex-Channel 4 chairman and BMI founder Sir Michael Bishop about taking the non-executive chairman role.

  • Dirty Dancing gives Five the time of its life

    28-Sep-2009

    Patrick Swayze danced up a big audience for Five last night, with 2m ( 9.5%) tuning in between 9pm and 11.05pm for the feel good romantic movie Dirty Dancing.  

  • Brown down as Spy event sags

    28-Sep-2009

    Illusionist Derren Brown couldn’t conjure up another massive audience for C4 on Friday night, with just 1.8m (8.2%) tuning in for his third event at 9pm.

  • Strictly closes on X Factor

    28-Sep-2009

    The X Factor triumphed over Strictly Come Dancing for the second week in a row on Saturday, although the gap between the juggernauts narrowed a fraction.

  • Ball's chairman demands too much for ITV

    25-Sep-2009

    Tony Ball wanted a £42m package to run ITV – but it was his demand to have the final veto over the company’s new chairman that caused negotiations to collapse.

  • Bo Selecta's Jacko tribute tops 400,000

    25-Sep-2009

    Leigh Francis’ off the wall tribute to the king of pop jived with 378,000 (2.5%) on E4 last night, while the new Knight Rider series helped drive Fiver to its best ever Thursday.

  • ITV and Ball: it's all off

    25-Sep-2009

    ITV is back to square one in its search for a new chief executive after its board terminated discussions with Tony Ball.

  • BBC ent boss defends Strictly strategy

    24-Sep-2009

    BROADCAST ENTERTAINMENT FORUM: BBC controller of entertainment commissioning Mark Linsey has defended the decision to pit Strictly Come Dancing directly against ITV1 juggernaut The X Factor, saying that it is a ‘longstanding tradition’ for the two main terrestrial broadcasters to compete on Saturday nights.

  • ITV takes STV war to courts

    24-Sep-2009

    Tensions within the ITV network erupted into all-out war this week, with STV and ITV squaring up for a court battle.

  • Pact predicts ITV red tape tangle

    24-Sep-2009

    Steps to introduce double compliance on ITV shows risk tying up indies in red tape, Pact and franchisee Channel TV have warned.

  • ITV Studios makes German version of Loose Women

    24-Sep-2009

    ITV Studios will remake Loose Women for German broadcaster VOX in its first international format deal for the panel talkshow.

  • Piers Morgan

    24-Sep-2009

    From showbiz reporter to global celeb in his own right, ex-tabloid editor Piers Morgan thinks he has a thing or two to teach the TV industry. Kate McMahon talks fame, fortune and formats.

  • Soccer Saturday / Panorama

    24-Sep-2009

    Chris Curtis and Kate McMahon share their views on two recent shows.

  • Ex-R2 'Sachsgate' boss to exec ITV talent show

    23-Sep-2009

    Former Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas has revealed her first project with Universal’s Globe productions – co-executive producing a new ITV singing contest.

  • The Choir finishes on high note for BBC2

    23-Sep-2009

    Conductor Gareth Malone hit a ratings high note for BBC2 last night, drowning out Five’s ratings banker CSI: Miami, and globetrotting chef Jamie Oliver.

  • ITV sues STV for £38m

    23-Sep-2009

    ITV has launched legal proceedings to recover £38m of debt from Scottish franchise STV.

  • STV fights back over ITV debts

    22-Sep-2009

    STV has vowed to fight ITV’s legal bid over £38m in unpaid bills, and has said it will now be pursuing its own claims against the network.

  • ITV wins International Emmy for China earthquake coverage

    22-Sep-2009

    ITV News has won an International Emmy Award for its coverage of last year’s earthquake in China.

  • Vandermeer appointed ITV controller of acquisitions

    22-Sep-2009

    ITV has promoted its head of legal and business affairs for acquisitions Jonathan Vandermeer to the new role of controller of acquisitions.

  • Viewers give C4 Daredevil cold shoulder

    22-Sep-2009

    Not even the sight of a half-naked man running a marathon around the Arctic was enough to make viewers warm to Wim Holf, with just 1.2m (5%) tuning in to watch the madcap adrenaline junkie.

  • Ofcom: ITV could lose £64m a year on regional news

    22-Sep-2009

    Ofcom has warned that the ITV network will be facing a loss of up to £64m a year by 2012, if it has to continue providing regional news bulletins.

  • Clunes brands STV's drama opt outs "churlish"

    21-Sep-2009

    Martin Clunes has criticised STV’s decision not to show the fourth series of Doc Martin on its network, labelling the move as “churlish”.

  • Doc Martin's return trumps Waking the Dead

    21-Sep-2009

    The return of Doc Martin triumphed for ITV1 last night over BBC1’s Waking the Dead, with a peak of 8.2m (32%) tuning in for the start of the fourth series.

  • Brown and Peep Show bump C4's ratings

    21-Sep-2009

    C4 had a bumper ratings night on Friday, with Derren Brown’s second experiment peaking with 3.4m viewers, and the return of Peep Show scoring record ratings.

  • Indies to absorb cost of ITV double compliance

    18-Sep-2009

    ITV has told indies they are likely to shoulder most of the costs for having their programmes go through a double compliance process, following Ofcom’s decision to ramp up the amount the broadcaster can be fined for breaches of its rules.

  • Katie Price edges out terrestrials

    18-Sep-2009

    Former glamour model Katie Price helped ITV2 to bumper ratings on an otherwise slow night, with her latest reality show edging out C4, BBC2 and levelling with Five.

  • Katy Brand

    17-Sep-2009

    She’s won the best female newcomer award and helped to put ITV2 on the map for comedy. Kate McMahon talks to Katy Brand about her rise from BBC runner to successful funny girl.

  • Ball poised to overhaul ITV

    17-Sep-2009

    ITV insiders are bracing themselves for Tony Ball to rip up the rule book if he is appointed as chief executive of the commercial broadcaster.

  • HarperCollins parades titles for licensing bids

    17-Sep-2009

    Publisher HarperCollins has signed a groundbreaking licensing deal that will see 120 of its bestselling titles added to a ‘dating agency’ site designed to match indies with titles.

  • Mixed CRR outcome for ITV

    15-Sep-2009

    ITV will have to keep its Contract Rights Renewal mechanism in place for advertisers, but it will be relaxed to make it more flexible.  

  • Marple loses half a million viewers

    14-Sep-2009

    Miss Marple failed to hold favour with viewers last night, with half a million fewer viewers tuning in to the second episode of the series.

  • X Factor hits high note with 12.1m on ITV1

    14-Sep-2009

    The X Factor continued to dominate Saturday night for ITV1 with a peak audience of 12.1m (54.9%) watching Saturday’s audition show.

  • Channel TV slams ITV compliance move

    11-Sep-2009

    Channel TV has criticised ITV’s decision to bring in a “double compliance” system, with chairman Mick Desmond claiming the broadcaster is taking a “cynical advantage” of Ofcom’s decision to increase the network’s fines for breaches of the broadcasting code.

  • Take Me Out heads for Japan

    10-Sep-2009

    Fremantle Media has sold its dating format Take Me Out to Japanese broadcaster TBS, just weeks after selling the show to ITV.

  • Whitechapel to return to ITV

    10-Sep-2009

    Rupert Penry-Jones will return to the East End of London for ITV1 next year, starring in a second series of Whitechapel.

  • ITV aims to avoid fines with 'double compliance '

    10-Sep-2009

    Independent producers commissioned by ITV will have their content vetted for compliance by the commercial broadcaster, following moves by Ofcom which beef up the fines the network faces for breaches of the broadcasting code.

  • Ofcom toughens fine limits for ITV

    10-Sep-2009

    Ofcom could fine ITV more than £3m for any future breaches of the broadcasting code, after a review concluded the broadcaster’s fines over the TV fakery scandal were not hefty enough.

  • The Saint set to be resurrected by major Canadian producer

    10-Sep-2009

    A Canadian production company is remaking iconic ITV thriller The Saint but has yet to approach UK broadcasters about the project.

  • ITV plots overhaul of daytime quiz line-up

    10-Sep-2009

    ITV1 is poised for a daytime quizshow shake-up, with a pair of new shows set for lengthy orders and Goldenballs likely to be shelved.

  • Ratings: C4 set to count cost for pulling Big Brother plug

    10-Sep-2009

    The format may be tired and the ratings in steady decline, but C4’s Big Brother still has value for the broadcaster.

  • Morgan emulates Cowell with production venture

    10-Sep-2009

    Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan has set up his own independent production company in a bid to follow in the footsteps of his TV mentor Simon Cowell.

  • Twofour and Shiver win factual orders from ITV

    10-Sep-2009

    A series on the troops who take supplies to frontline soldiers in Afghanistan will be contrasted with a docu-soap about the busy holiday season in the Lake District in two factual commissions set for ITV1.

  • ITV signs three-year deal for Crime Thriller Awards

    10-Sep-2009

    ITV3 has secured the Crime Thriller Awards for another three years, after signing a deal with Specsavers, Cactus TV and the Crime Writers Association.

  • ITV's hopes to rejoin FTSE 100 fall short

    9-Sep-2009

    ITV has to wait a while longer to rejoin the FTSE 100, after hopes it could be in line for a promotion back to blue-chip status fell short today.

  • Mecury Prize win watched by 850,000

    9-Sep-2009

    Speech DeBelle’s surprise win at the Mercury Awards last night brought 850,000 (4.4%) to BBC2 last night, but it wasn’t enough to topple Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s new food quiz.

  • FME poaches Alcock for EMEA chief exec role

    9-Sep-2009

    Fremantle Media Enterprises has poached digital agency chief Mel Alcock as its new chief executive for the EMEA region.

  • Blue Murder beaten by the Dead

    8-Sep-2009

    ITV1’s new series of police drama Blue Murder came a close second in the ratings last night at 9pm, losing out to the second instalment of BBC1’s thriller Waking the Dead.

  • Bragg: South Bank Show was effectively "cancelled"

    8-Sep-2009

    Melvyn Bragg said he was left with no choice but to walk away from The South Bank Show, after ITV director of television Peter Fincham slashed his programming budget.

  • Marple outfoxed by the Dead

    7-Sep-2009

    The return of Miss Marple thrilled 5m (20.8%) over two hours on ITV1 last night, but it wasn’t quite enough to out-sleuth BBC1’s Waking the Dead.

  • Spice Girl to go on the breadline for ITV

    7-Sep-2009

    Spice Girl Mel B, Trinny Woodall, Keith Allen and rugby star Austin Healey will move into impoverished households in Leeds as part of a new three-part series for ITV1.

  • X Factor peaks with 13m

    7-Sep-2009

    The X Factor proved unbeatable yet again on Saturday night, with 11.8m (51.9%) tuning in to ITV1 between 7.35pm and 8.35pm.

  • Record low as Big Brother ends on 2.9m

    7-Sep-2009

    Big Brother limped to a close on Friday night, peaking with a paltry 3.1m (17.6%) as glamour model Sophie Reade was declared the winner of the penultimate series.

  • New Tricks ends with 7.7m

    4-Sep-2009

    BBC1 drama New Tricks ended its sixth run with an impressive 7.7m last night (32.5%).

  • Dragons Den ends series with 3.7m

    3-Sep-2009

    The finale of BBC2’s would-be entrepreneur show Dragons Den made a fiery exit last night, with 3.7m (15.9%) tuning in.

  • Zai Bennett, ITV digital channels

    3-Sep-2009

    ITV’s digital man has used the pulling power of celeb-led shows to bolster the UK’s top two multichannels. He tells Kate McMahon about his strategy to draw in even bigger crowds.

  • NSPCC and TV on collision path

    3-Sep-2009

    The TV industry is on a collision course with the NSPCC, psychologists and local authorities as the debate around duty of care toward children on TV hots up.

  • UKTV waiting to snap up STV’s Taggart for Alibi

    3-Sep-2009

    UKTV wants Taggart for its crime channel Alibi if ITV drops the long-running show.

  • The Fixer thrills 3.8m

    2-Sep-2009

    ITV1’s hitman drama The Fixer returned last night in thrilling fashion, edging out Traffic Cops and Jamie Oliver’s latest cooking show to win the 9pm hour.

  • X Factor peaks at 11.8m

    1-Sep-2009

    The X Factor was back with a bang on Saturday night, with a peak of 11.8m (54%) tuning in.

  • Wuthering Heights captivates 4m

    1-Sep-2009

    The final part of ITV1’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights captivated 4m viewers at 9pm last night (17.9% share), but was beaten by BBC1’s quirky Welsh drama Framed.

  • Few turn out for night at The Office

    1-Sep-2009

    A repeat of the entire first series of The Office failed to spark much interest for BBC2 on Sunday night while a repeat of Lewis scored bigger numbers than the opening instalment of ITV’s lavish new drama Wuthering Heights.

  • Councils using kids licence to exert editorial control

    30-Aug-2009

    Indie trade body Pact has warned that a number of local authorities are rejecting plans to feature children in television shows, on the basis that they do not like the scripts.

  • Fincham defends treatment of BGT hopefuls

    29-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: ITV director of television Peter Fincham has defended the treatment of contestants on Britain’s Got Talent, and said the network would have faced a barrage of criticism if it had not allowed participants like Susan Boyle to take part.

  • Factual shift for ITV3

    29-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: Digital channel ITV3 is to broadcast more factual programming, reflecting the reduced amount of drama on the commercial broadcaster.

  • Andre airs concerns over kids on TV

    29-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: Singer Peter Andre says he has no regrets about carving out a career in reality television, but still has reservations over whether his children should have been included in the shows.

  • ITV's Mackie defends Bill move

    29-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: ITV director of drama Laura Mackie has defended the decision to move long-running police show The Bill to 9pm, saying that the show’s new format will need time to bed in.

  • More 4's Crufts coverage to explore controversies

    28-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: More 4’s coverage of pedigree dog show Crufts will focus on inbreeding controversies and animal welfare, as well as the glory of the prizes.

  • E4 boss says Big Brother could have continued

    28-Aug-2009

    EDINBURGH: Big Brother would have been ‘flogged’ for a few more series, if Channel 4 was a more commercially-minded channel, says E4 head Angela Jain.

  • Katie Price returns to ITV2 with 1.3m

    28-Aug-2009

    The launch of Katie Price’s new documentary series What Katie Did Next pulled in a strong audience for ITV2 last night, attracting an average of 1.3m (6%) across the 9pm hour.

  • The Bill nicks 3.4m

    28-Aug-2009

    ITV1 drama The Bill bounced back slightly last night, with 3.4m (14.6%) tuning in for the hour at 9pm, but it wasn’t enough to beat BBC1 ratings blockbuster New Tricks. 

  • STV report 84% pre-tax profit drop

    27-Aug-2009

    ITV’s Scottish licence holder STV has reported an 84% fall in pre-tax profit year-on-year for the first six months of 2009, but chief execuitve Rob Woodward told Broadcast that the broadcaster’s underlying business model was well placed to ride out the recession.

  • Fellowes pens ITV1 drama series

    27-Aug-2009

    Julian Fellowes, the Oscar-winning writer of Gosford Park, is writing a seven-part Edwardian country house drama for ITV1.

  • ITV tries out new Blind Date

    27-Aug-2009

    ITV has tasked The X Factor producer Talkback Thames with making the successor to Blind Date - speed-dating format Take Me Out.

  • Ten Alps targets Asian buys

    27-Aug-2009

    Ten Alps is to embark on an aggressive acquisition spree in South East Asia, in a bid to roll out the company’s multiplatform content model across the region.

  • Deloitte Edinburgh survey finds more economic woe to come

    27-Aug-2009

    The government may be predicting the recession will end in 40 days, but the broadcasting sector is still in the midst of seismic changes, according to a Deloitte report for this weekend’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.

  • STV to boost drama - without ITV

    26-Aug-2009

    STV plans to acquire more dramas from the likes of RTE and gradually develop more drama in-house after opting out of airing almost all of ITV’s autumn drama line-up.

  • Big Brother ratings still sliding

    26-Aug-2009

    Big Brother, the long-running reality show that Channel 4 has today announced will draw to a close next year, pulled in just 1.8m viewers last night (8.2%) for the hour at 9pm.

  • Ten Alps moves into Singapore

    26-Aug-2009

    Ten Alps has acquired Singapore-based indie Uproar Asia Productions, marking its first move to expand into the Far East and Asia.

  • Reggae Reggae man grooves with 2.2m

    25-Aug-2009

    Former Dragons’ Den contestant and Reggae Reggae Sauce man Levi Roots made a steady start with a new show on BBC2 last night, while ITV comedy Monday Monday came to a close with its third highest audience of the series.

  • Ant and Dec in US Takeaway talks

    24-Aug-2009

    Ant and Dec have revealed they are in talks to take their hit ITV1 format Saturday Night Takeaway in the US.

  • England's Ashes win delivers 2m to Sky Sports 1

    24-Aug-2009

    Sky Sports 1 notched up nearly 2 million viewers yesterday (23 August) as England beat Australia to win the Ashes.

  • X Factor back with 11.7m

    24-Aug-2009

    The X Factor was back with its second highest launch show to date on Saturday night – peaking at 11.7m (54%) just after 8pm.

  • BBC2 reigns with Tudors return

    24-Aug-2009

    The Tudors made a regal entrance back onto BBC2 last Friday night, drawing an average audience of 2.3m (11.4%) over a 90-minute launch episode from 9pm.

  • ITV.com revenue may soar to £34m

    21-Aug-2009

    Revenues from ITV.com are on course to more than triple this year, making as much as £34m according to a new analyst report

  • Broadcast on... The X Factor

    21-Aug-2009

    As the new series of The X Factor prepares to launch, ITV has provided a first look to a select gathering. Broadcast’s Kate McMahon was there to see the good, the bad and the downright awful.

  • Nearly 4m watch Bolt break record

    21-Aug-2009

    Nearly 4m viewers tuned in to BBC2 last night to watch Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt blast away his own 200m world record at the Berlin Athletics World Championships.

  • The Bill busted as Benefit Busters boom

    21-Aug-2009

    Channel 4’s documentary Benefit Busters made a strong start last night, while ITV1 stalwart The Bill took another tumble in the ratings.

  • STV axes nearly all new ITV drama

    21-Aug-2009

    STV has axed ITV dramas Wuthering Heights, The Fixer, Doc Martin, Blue Murder and Agatha Christie’s Marple from its schedule, adding fuel to its dispute with the commercial broadcaster over network programming fees.

  • X Factor boss defends live audition pressure

    21-Aug-2009

    X Factor executive producer Richard Holloway has defended the shows new live audition process, rubbishing comments from judge Louis Walsh that the format change adds even more pressure to competitors.

  • Jury still out on The Bill’s switch to 9pm

    20-Aug-2009

    Kate McMahon turns the spotlight on The Bill, which has moved to a 9pm slot after 25 years at 8pm, to see how it has fared against rivals

  • BB maintains ratings draw

    20-Aug-2009

    It may be a long way off its glory day figures of old, but despite negative press coverage, Big Brother has proved that it has not run out of steam just yet, comfortably drawing audiences of 2 million every day of the week for C4.

  • Corrie’s wedding reception

    20-Aug-2009

    ITV1 celebrates a bumper audience for its soap wedding, but needs the X Factor for Saturday nights.

  • Four Weddings / Peter Andre

    20-Aug-2009

    Kate McMahon and Robin Parker give their verdict on two of the weeks shows.

  • UTV adds its voice to furore over BBC’s plans to share news

    20-Aug-2009

    ITV’s Northern Ireland franchisee UTV has added to the outcry against the BBC’s plan to share video news with national newspapers, claiming the initiative would make it “impossible” for commercial news gatherers to compete.

  • Duchess doc disappoints with 2.5m

    19-Aug-2009

    ITV1’s observational documentary about Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson’s mission to tackle obesity in Hull flopped with viewers last night, with just 2.5m (11.6%) tuning in.

  • Fremantle eyes online gaming

    19-Aug-2009

    Fremantle Media’s gaming division is to approach UK indies and rights holders to turn well-known characters and franchises into revenue-making online games.

  • Ultimate Ulster returns to UTV

    19-Aug-2009

    Ultimate Ulster will return to UTV this autumn, as part of the Northern Irish ITV franchise holder’s bid to build on its original programming slate this autumn.

  • X Factor results move to live Sunday shows

    18-Aug-2009

    ITV has confirmed that this year’s X Factor will move its results show to Sundays, with a live face-off for the two contestants with the fewest votes.

  • ITV2 beats terrestrials with Andre special

    18-Aug-2009

    Peter Andre gave an insania boost to ITV2 last night, with his 90-minute special on life after splitting with wife Katie Price outrating BBC2 and C4.

  • Walsh: Some X Factor contestants won't cope

    18-Aug-2009

    X Factor judge Louis Walsh has admitted that not all contestants appearing on the ITV1 show will be able to cope under the strain of the competition.

  • Corrie wedding unites 8.4m

    17-Aug-2009

    Becky and Steve’s turbulent wedding on Coronation Street bought bumper ratings to ITV1 on Friday, with a peak of 8.4m viewers (44%) tuning in for the big day.

  • Andre lands solo ITV2 reality series

    17-Aug-2009

    Reality star and singer Peter Andre has landed a solo reality television show for ITV2 this autumn.

  • The Bill stumbles at 9pm

    14-Aug-2009

    ITV1’s long running cop show The Bill took a wobble last night, with just 3.4m viewers (14.9%) - its lowest since it moved to 9pm and one of its worst performances in the last three years.

  • Newton appointed as This Morning editor

    14-Aug-2009

    Loose Women executive producer Karl Newton has been appointed as the new editor of This Morning as key part of the show’s revamp.

  • Kath and Kim creators in new series talks

    12-Aug-2009

    Kath and Kim writers and stars Gina Riley and Jane Turner are in discussions  to produce a fifth series of the hit comedy, or launch a spin-off starring the comedy’s toffy-nosed shop assistants Prue and Trude.

  • Autism doc pulls 680,000 to BBC3

    12-Aug-2009

    BBC3 documentary The Autistic Me proved a success last night, with 680,000 (3.4%) tuning in for the 9pm hour.

  • Desperate Romantics drops to 1.7m

    12-Aug-2009

    BBC2 period drama Desperate Romantics became increasingly desperate last night, losing another 300,000 viewers on its fourth outing.

  • Left Bank unveil new detective dramas

    12-Aug-2009

    Left Bank Pictures has confirmed it is developing two new detective dramas – an Aurelio Zen series set for BBC1, and an Inspector Banks special for ITV1.

  • On Tour With the Queen waves to 1.7m

    11-Aug-2009

    Channel 4’s new hour-long documentary series On Tour with the Queen made a solid start last night, with an audience of 1.7m (7.9%) tuning in at 9pm, but that wasn’t enough to stop it being awarded the slot’s wooden spoon.

  • Osmonds to reunite for ITV1 special

    11-Aug-2009

    Donny Osmond and his sister Marie will reunite on British TV for the first time in 20 years for an hour-long ITV special.

  • Football season kicks off with 4m for BBC1

    10-Aug-2009

    The first game of the new football season made a solid start on an otherwise lacklustre night of repeats on Saturday, with a peak of 4m tuning in to watch Newcastle draw with West Bromwich Albion.

  • Hotel Babylon books more visitors

    10-Aug-2009

    Hotel Babylon had 300,000 more viewers checking in this week, with 3.4m (17.6%) tuning in to BBC1 on Friday (7 August) at 9pm.

  • Louis Theroux deals with 2.7m

    10-Aug-2009

    The return of documentary-maker Louis Theroux as he explored a city’s addiction to crystal meth delivered 2.7m viewers (11.7% share) to BBC2 at 9pm last night

  • 19 Entertainment acquires model agency Storm

    10-Aug-2009

    Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller’s company 19 Entertainment has acquired a controlling stake in Storm, the modelling agency that represents Kate Moss, to increase its hold in the fashion industry.

  • Fox out of ITV CEO race

    10-Aug-2009

    Simon Fox, the chief executive of music and DVD retailer HMV, has ruled himself out of the race to be the next chief executive of ITV.

  • Analysis: Grade's final results show positive signs

    7-Aug-2009

    Following a headline-grabbing set of financial results from ITV, Broadcast highlights what ITV bosses had to say about the loss of Friends Reunited, the growth of ITV Studios, a new chief executive, its international focus and how Michael Grade will handle his role as non-executive chairman. Kate McMahon reports.

  • The Bill loses nearly 1m viewers

    7-Aug-2009

    ITV1’s reinvention of The Bill continued to lose ground last night, shedding almost a million viewers since its launch in a post-watershed slot.

  • ITV strikes deal with BBC for Freeview HD

    7-Aug-2009

    ITV will roll out a new ITV1 HD service on Freeview in time for the 2010 World Cup, after agreeing the final carriage terms with the BBC.

  • ITV shares rally back to January high

    6-Aug-2009

    ITV share price rallied 7% today on the back of its half-yearly results to 44.96p – its highest price since January.

  • Grade slams STV opt outs

    6-Aug-2009

    Executive chairman Michael Grade has lifted the lid on ITV’s “tense” relationship with Scottish franchisee STV, claiming its decision to opt out of key network dramas is damaging the ITV brand.  

  • ITV digital channels may leave Freeview

    6-Aug-2009

    ITV bosses have declared they would be open to putting their digital channels ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 exclusively on Sky and Virgin Media, if a higher carriage fee for the channels could be negotiated.

  • ITV suffers as it sells Friends Reunited for £25m

    6-Aug-2009

    ITV made a loss of £104m in the six months to 30 June and has sold Friends Reunited to DC Thomson company Brightsolid for £25m – taking a hit of £145m.

  • Viewers fail to register vote for BBC3 doc

    5-Aug-2009

    BBC3 struggled to attract viewers to its youth documentary 16: Too Young to Vote?, fronted by EastEnders actress Melissa Suffield, at 9pm last night.

  • Desperate Romantics woo 2m

    5-Aug-2009

    BBC2’s pre-Raphaelite costume drama Desperate Romantics wooed back its 2m audience last night, but was unable to temp any of the 500,000 viewers it lost last week.

  • Record viewing figures for commercial TV

    5-Aug-2009

    UK viewers have set a new record for watching commercial TV viewing an average of 16.7 hours each week for the first six months of the year.

  • Bang Goes the Theory fizzles

    4-Aug-2009

    BBC1’s new science series Bang Goes the Theory fizzled last night while Five enjoyed bumper ratings with The Hotel Inspector later in the evening.

  • Psychoville finishes with 1.3m

    31-Jul-2009

    BBC2’s critically acclaimed but creepy comedy Psychoville came to a close last night, drawing an average audience of 1.3m (6.2%) between 10pm and 10.30pm.

  • ITV soaps night pays off, but New Tricks nicks The Bill

    31-Jul-2009

    ITV1’s new Thursday night soaps strategy continued to perform for the commerical broadcaster last night, but The Bill was still no match for BBC1’s 9pm drama New Tricks.

  • Taggart rocked by staff cuts

    30-Jul-2009

    Taggart’s executive producer of seven years has been made redundant as speculation about the future of the long-running drama grows.

  • ITV tackles pension shortfall

    30-Jul-2009

    ITV has taken a significant step to address its £178m pension black hole by capping increases to its contributions to its defined benefits scheme at 1% a year.

  • Chibnall to leave Law & Order UK showrunner role

    30-Jul-2009

    Torchwood and Life on Mars writer Chris Chibnall will not return as showrunner on the second series of ITV1’s Law & Order UK, and plans to concentrate on other projects.

  • Fremantle hires Wiffen to lead global drama efficiency drive

    30-Jul-2009

    Fremantle Media has appointed Donna Wiffen to head a new worldwide drama team and immediately tasked her with leading a global efficiency review of the company’s scripted output.

  • Scots content boosts refreshed STV Player

    29-Jul-2009

    STV’s newly revamped catch-up service, STV Player, will host archive shows such as Rebus plus behind-the-scenes content in a bid to inject more home grown Scottish content into the platform.

  • ITV's Cole joins ITN's Diagonal View

    29-Jul-2009

    ITN’s quirky video clips channel Diagonal View has appointed ITV’s former online sales director Gary Cole to the newly created position of commercial director.

  • HMV and Apple execs in race to be next ITV CEO

    29-Jul-2009

    HMV chief executive Simon Fox and Apple’s most senior executive in Europe, Pascal Cagni, are understood to be frontrunners in the race to become the next chief executive of ITV.

  • ITV3's Ladies of Letters to return

    28-Jul-2009

    ITV3’s first original comedy drama, Ladies of Letters, will be returning for a second series.

  • X Factor boot camp to be filmed with live audience

    27-Jul-2009

    X Factor bosses at Talkback Thames and Syco will be shaking up the format further, by holding the “boot-camp” in front of a live audience.

  • Ant and Dec developing new variety show

    27-Jul-2009

    Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s indie Gallowgate is developing a new Saturday night variety show aimed at ITV1.

  • John Sergeant to front ITV1 travel show

    24-Jul-2009

    ITV1 AUTUMN LAUNCH: John Sergeant will star on ITV1 this autumn, travelling to England’s tourism hotspots to uncover the “gems and eccentricities” of the UK for a new factual series.

  • ITV orders monthly Web Corrie content

    23-Jul-2009

    Coronation Street is to get an online boost with a monthly order for 100 minutes of new web content that is set to be distributed globally.

  • North East’s £3m injection

    23-Jul-2009

    Indies are to be invited to pitch for up to £3m in development and production grants from a new content fund to encourage long-term sustainable productions in the North East.

  • Sugar cleared to continue Apprentice

    22-Jul-2009

    The BBC Trust has given Sir Alan Sugar the greenlight to continue his role in The Apprentice after taking a government position but criticised his publicity stunt with Ed Balls.

  • Below the Radar to profile recession and assassination

    22-Jul-2009

    Northern Irish indie Below the Radar will profile the assassination of a Royal and recession hit Citizens Advice Bureaus in Northern Ireland in two new programmes.

  • BBC Wales may be 'only news option' by 2010

    22-Jul-2009

    Welsh MPs have warned the government that viewers in the nation may have no alternative choice of English-language news by next year.

  • BBC should lose licence fee, says report

    21-Jul-2009

    The BBC should lose its hold on the licence fee and sell off BBC1 and BBC3, a new report has said.

  • Will STV share fans joy for The Bill's Scottish salvation?

    21-Jul-2009

    Scottish fans of The Bill will be over the moon when they hear they will not have to bid farewell to Sun Hill, but STV may not be so thrilled by ITV’s benevolence, writes Kate McMahon.

  • The Bill saved in Scotland

    21-Jul-2009

    Viewers in Scotland will be able to watch the new 9pm version of The Bill, despite ITV licence holder STV deciding to opt out of network programming at that time.

  • ITV calls for more football on protected TV list

    20-Jul-2009

    ITV is pushing the government to add all World Cup and European Championship qualifying games involving home nations to be added to the list of sporting events protected for free-to-air television.

  • Broadcast on... Wuthering Heights

    17-Jul-2009

    Broadcast was invited to a sneak preview of ITV’s big budget bonnet bonanza Wuthering Heights and met the team who faced the production challenges head on.

  • The Bill pulled from STV schedules

    16-Jul-2009

    STV chiefs have confirmed that The Bill will be pulled from its schedule after 25 years, to make way for more of its own programmes.

  • Occupation writer pens BBC1 Morecambe and Wise biopic

    16-Jul-2009

    The BBC is planning to transfer its BBC4 comedy biopic formula to BBC1 with a 90-minute drama on the early years of Morecambe and Wise.

  • ITVS scores Italian buyer for The Colour of Money

    16-Jul-2009

    ITV Studios has made the first international sale of gameshow format The Colour of Money, selling a 60 x 30-minute run to Italy’s Italia 1.

  • Inside Nature's Giants / Katie Price with Piers Morgan

    16-Jul-2009

    Robin Parker and Kate McMahon each give their verdict on the latest shows.

  • Indies set to grab half of £500m ITV1 spending pot

    16-Jul-2009

    ITV’s drama, entertainment, factual and daytime commissioners have £500m to spend on original programmes for ITV1 next year - and £250m of that is earmarked for the indie sector.

  • ITV signs Terms of Trade

    15-Jul-2009

    ITV has signed its Terms of Trade agreement with Pact, two years after the conditions were initally agreed.

  • ITV Studios Pressure Cooker goes Dutch

    15-Jul-2009

    ITV Studios has racked up another international co-production deal – this time with Netherlands broadcaster RTL to produce the 60 x 30-minute series Pressure Cooker.

  • BBC1 unveils new dramas

    14-Jul-2009

    BBC Drama controller Ben Stephenson has announced five new dramas set for BBC1 in 2010, including a thriller set below the Arctic ice, a deaf girl who accidentally witnesses a murder and a mother’s affair across the years. 

  • Cash-strapped ITV pushes back NTA's until 2010

    14-Jul-2009

    ITV has scrapped this year’s National Television Awards, pushing back the ceremony until January 2010.

  • Newsnight veteran Donald MacCormick dies

    13-Jul-2009

    Tributes have been flowing in for veteran BBC journalist and former Newsnight presenter Donald MacCormick, who has died of a heart attack aged 70.

  • UBS upgrades ITV shares

    13-Jul-2009

    Shares in ITV rose a penny this morning after Swiss bank UBS upgraded the stock to “buy” and increased its target price for ITV shares to 37p.

  • ShineReveille to distribute NBC's The Wanted

    13-Jul-2009

    ShineReveille has picked up the worldwide distribution rights to The Wanted, a new documentary series about the hunt for terrorists.

  • Grade: We did not pace Boyle well enough

    10-Jul-2009

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has admitted that ITV should have done more to “pace” Scottish singer Susan Boyle, but defended the way contestants on Britain’s Got Talent were looked after on the show.

  • ITV to charge viewers for BGT clips

    10-Jul-2009

    ITV could charge viewers to watch Britain’s Got Talent clips online as early as next year in a bid to boost revenues.

  • Cohen: Viewers will pay up to £2 for content

    9-Jul-2009

    Fremantle Media chief executive Tony Cohen has added his voice to the groundswell of support for introducing micro-payments for content, claiming the company’s research showed people would pay up to £2 for certain shows.

  • Corrie to shift from Wednesdays in ITV schedule shake-up

    8-Jul-2009

    ITV is preparing a major overhaul of its schedule this month, with Coronation Street being moved from its traditional Wednesday evening slot to make way for football and The Bill.

  • Discovery buys Miami SWAT in new Target sales

    8-Jul-2009

    Sky 1’s 10-part drama-doc Miami SWAT has been sold to Discovery Network feeds in numerous territories as part of a raft of sales totalling 500 hours for distributor Target.

  • Chorion secures Dan Dare rights

    8-Jul-2009

    Chorion, the intellectual property company behind Mr Men and Noddy, has secured international licensing rights for sci-fi comic book hero Dan Dare.

  • The Bill halves its staff and changes its tune

    2-Jul-2009

    The Bill’s iconic theme tune will be scrapped as part of its 9pm relaunch, which will also see the ITV1 show’s 180-strong production team halved.

  • TV’s week of woe as indies face up to survival battle

    25-Jun-2009

    Town House TV and Distraction Formats have joined Setanta as the latest victims of the financial crisis in TV, as exclusive research by Broadcast paints a gloomy picture of the production sector.

  • ITV rejected Impossible’s offer of budget Primeval

    25-Jun-2009

    Impossible Pictures offered to make a fourth series of ITV1’s CGI drama Primeval for less than £600,000 an episode - but even that was not enough of a bargain to convince the broadcaster to reorder the show.

  • Five scores ace with CSI

    24-Jun-2009

    It wasn’t Wimbledon, but Five scored its own ace at 9pm last night, outdoing C4, BBC2 and ITV1 at 9pm with CSI:Crime Scene Investigation .

  • Scarlett Johansson pulls out of ITV2 doc

    24-Jun-2009

    Actress Scarlett Johansson has pulled out of starring in a new four-part series for ITV2.

  • Murray nets 4.5m for BBC2

    24-Jun-2009

    BBC2 served up 4.5m viewers last night to cheer on homegrown Wimbledon hopeful Andy Murray as he blasted his way into the next round of the grand slam event.

  • Thunderbirds creator fighting to reclaim rights from ITV

    24-Jun-2009

    Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson has made a public plea to ITV bosses to return the rights to his iconic 60s puppet show, after being locked in a legal battle.

  • ITN puts 64 Setanta News staff into consultation

    23-Jun-2009

    ITN’s 64 employees contracted to make Setanta Sports News have all been placed under consultation following the sports broadcaster falling into administration.

  • Viewers lose appetite for Supersizers

    23-Jun-2009

    BBC2 food series Supersizers Eat… lost half a million viewers last night as Sue Perkins and Giles Coren went medieval.

  • BBC scores ace at Wimbledon

    23-Jun-2009

    The BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon got off to a good start yesterday, with respectable figures across the day for BBC1 and BBC2.

  • Top Gear's May boosts BBC4

    22-Jun-2009

    The Top Gear factor boosted BBC4 last night, with documentary James May at the Edge of Space drawing an average audience of 455,000 – a share of 2.71% – at 10pm.

  • 4.3m check in to Hotel Babylon

    22-Jun-2009

    BBC1 had 4.3m visitors to London’s Hotel Babylon at 9pm on Friday night – a share of 20.1% – edging out ITV1’s Cornish drama Doc Martin.

  • Top Gear’s Stig revealed to 7m

    22-Jun-2009

    BBC2 juggernaut Top Gear was back with a bang last night as 7m tuned in to see Ferrari-legend Michael Schumacher ‘unveiled’ as the Stig - an audience share of 30%.

  • iPlayer guru honoured at Broadcast Digital Awards

    19-Jun-2009

    BBC future media controller Anthony Rose was honoured with the Individual Achievement Award for his “ground-breaking” work on the BBC iPlayer at last night’s Broadcast’s Digital Awards.

  • Take that! Martina Cole drama lands 661,000

    18-Jun-2009

    Sky 1’s East-End gangland drama Martina Cole’s The Take made a killer start last night, roping in an average audience of 661,000 – a share of 3.7% - over the double episode launch.

  • Talkback unveils Scottish unit with Hole in the Wall order

    18-Jun-2009

    Talkback Thames is to open a new production base in Glasgow, headed by BBC Scotland’s former creative director of arts and factual entertainment May Miller, and has bagged a second run of BBC1’s Hole in the Wall as its first commission.

  • Indies vie for a place on news consortia scheme

    18-Jun-2009

    Indies and broadcasters are already jostling to take part in the three independent news consortia pilot schemes, proposed in the Digital Britain report, which will provide regional news on ITV1.

  • Celebrity life-share leads ITV2’s autumn schedule

    18-Jun-2009

    Actress Scarlett Johansson will invite Fearne Cotton to experience her Hollywood lifestyle in a shadow-a-celebrity series for ITV2 this autumn.

  • C4 sends producer Wild for sole survivor doc

    18-Jun-2009

    Channel 4 will cross a frontier in survival programming by dropping a TV producer into the Canadian wilderness for 12 weeks with just a camera and a backpack.

  • Ten Alps in move to tap Asian content market

    18-Jun-2009

    Super-indie Ten Alps is finalising plans to set up a base in Asia after ruling out plans to buy any more UK producers.

  • ITV could charge for on-demand content service

    18-Jun-2009

    ITV is planning to levy small charges to view on-demand content beyond the standard seven-day catch-up window in a bid to boost revenues.

  • Living goes around Britain with Hasselhoff

    18-Jun-2009

    David Hasselhoff will sleep in a haunted castle, row with the Oxford blues and sail a long boat down the canals of Britain in six-part special for Living.

  • Google: search for a working relationship

    18-Jun-2009

    Critics brand it a parasite, but it can also offer access to an online audience of billions. So should the production community treat Google as a friend or foe?

  • ITV regional news to be funded by BBC licence fee

    16-Jun-2009

    DIGITAL BRITAIN: ITV will be allowed to reduce its public service obligations in the lead up to digital switchover, and the government will ring-fence a portion of the BBC licence fee to pay for its regional news programming.

  • X Factor auditions go live

    16-Jun-2009

    The X Factor is to get a Britain’s Got Talent-style makeover, with auditions to be held in front of a live audience for the first time.

  • STV and ITV see legal teams over disputed £22m fee

    15-Jun-2009

    ITV is considering legal action against its Scottish licence holder STV Group, after accusing it of failing to pay a £22m fee for being part of the ITV network.

  • Premier League looks to sell Setanta matches

    15-Jun-2009

    The Premier League has announced it will sell off Setanta’s 46 live matches for the next season, if the Irish pay TV company does not make it’s payment to organisation by next Friday.

  • Ten Alps up despite economic slump

    15-Jun-2009

    Ten Alps, the factual indie owned by Bob Geldof, has recorded a pre-tax profit of £3.3m for the financial year to 31 March - an increase of 5%.

  • Primeval axed as ITV focuses on 9pm drama

    15-Jun-2009

    ITV has axed Impossible Pictures’ dinosaur drama Primeval to focus on drama aired after 9pm.

  • OFT: Commission needs to relax ITV's CRR

    12-Jun-2009

    The Office of Fair Trading has written to the Competition Commission, urging them to make drastic changes to remedy ITV’s Contract Rights Renewal scheme.

  • Autumnwatch extended to cash in on web appeal

    12-Jun-2009

    Autumnwatch will no longer be stripped over two weeks as BBC2 moves to cash in on the series’ multiplatform credentials.

  • Talkback celebrate Monte Carlo success

    12-Jun-2009

    Talkback Thames swept the board at last night’s 49th Monte Carlo Television Festival – taking home four of the top awards for its television film, The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall.

  • Sky News to launch in HD

    11-Jun-2009

    Sky News will launch a high definition channel in Spring next year to run alongside it’s current 24-hour news channel – making it the first broadcaster to air news in both formats.

  • Setanta woe could boost ITV

    11-Jun-2009

    ITV is rubbing its hands at the prospect of picking up eight England matches at a knockdown price if Setanta Sports collapses.

  • Whizz Kid wins ABC order for celebrity dance show

    11-Jun-2009

    Whizz Kid Entertainment is remaking its Comic Relief celebrity dance format Let’s Dance for America’s ABC1 as a primetime show.

  • ITV slashes Royal Variety budget

    11-Jun-2009

    ITV will spend half a million pounds less on entertaining the Queen this year after it chopped the budget for the Royal Variety Performance almost in two.

  • ITVS takes I’m a Celebrity to India in format debut

    11-Jun-2009

    ITV Studios has struck its first Indian format deal and will coproduce a version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! for Sony Entertainment Television.

  • Setanta bosses launch 11th hour rescue bid

    10-Jun-2009

    Setanta bosses are making an 11th hour dash to save the Irish pay-TV company from collapse.

  • ITV4 secures rights to England v Germany clash

    10-Jun-2009

    ITV4 has secured the rights to the Sir Bobby Robson Testimonial Match from Toast Entertainment, allowing it to broadcast the England v Germany friendly in July.

  • Ramsay's mum sparks Aussie apology

    10-Jun-2009

    Gordon Ramsay has apologised for calling Australian current affairs show host Tracy Grimshaw a pig after receiving a punishing phone call from his mother.

  • ITV brings in UBS to run sale of SDN

    8-Jun-2009

    ITV has appointed Swiss investment bank UBS to run the sale of its Freeview channel operator SDN.

  • Grade: don't blame BGT execs for Boyle breakdown

    8-Jun-2009

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has rejected claims that executives on Britain’s Got Talent did not do enough to protect runner up Susan Boyle, saying that blaming production staff is “simplistic”.

  • Sweden to adapt I'm a Celebrity...

    4-Jun-2009

    ITV Studios has sold I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! to Scandinavian broadcaster TV4.

  • C4 pilots Come Dine with Me follow-up

    4-Jun-2009

    Channel 4 is lining up a new cookery format from ITV Studios, the producer of global smash Come Dine with Me.

  • Alan Titchmarsh springs into ITV1 seasonal show

    4-Jun-2009

    Alan Titchmarsh is to front an ITV1 series on the seasons and climate change for ITV1.

  • ITV and UTV defend £100m budget for regional news

    3-Jun-2009

    ITV and UTV have stepped in to defend Ofcom’s proposed £100m budget for regional news, after the BBC dismissed the figure as “fantasy”.

  • BGT sparks 350 complaints

    3-Jun-2009

    Nearly 350 complaints were lodged with Ofcom last weekend over Britain’s Got Talent – but less than 16 of them were about the treatment of singing sensation Susan Boyle.

  • Northern screen agencies launch online database

    3-Jun-2009

    North England’s regional screen agencies have teamed up to launch an online database listing everything from crew to facilities in a bid to maximise jobs for freelance production staff.

  • Ofcom considers Britain's Got Talent investigation

    2-Jun-2009

    Britain’s Got Talent could be facing investigation by Ofcom after the watchdog revealed viewers complained about the Saturday results show.

  • McVay: BGT proves ITV should not change terms of trade

    2-Jun-2009

    Britain’s Got Talent is a “shining example” of why ITV should not look to tear up the terms of trade, according to Pact.

  • No kickback for indies from an ITV-Sky deal

    2-Jun-2009

    Indies would be unlikely to get any financial kickback if ITV switched its Freeview digital channels ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 to BSkyB according to Pact.

  • Granada America rebranded as ITV Studios

    28-May-2009

    ITV’s North American production arm Granada America has been re-branded as ITV Studios.

  • ITV’s Bennett on the lookout for US drama series at LA Screenings

    28-May-2009

    ITV’s newly appointed director of multichannels and acquisitions Zai Bennett will be on the hunt for a US drama series for ITV1’s primetime schedule at the LA Screenings this week.

  • Spall to star in Aherne’s ITV1 obesity drama

    28-May-2009

    Timothy Spall is to don a fat suit for an ITV1 comedy drama by Caroline Aherne about a man so obese he cannot leave his chair.

  • ITV takes Holden and Lumley on factual journeys

    28-May-2009

    ITV1 is to continue its run of celebrity-led factual journeys, with actresses Joanna Lumley and Amanda Holden fronting two documentary series. 

  • Victim's son to front Madoff doc

    27-May-2009

    The son of a British soldier who killed himself after his family’s life savings were swallowed up in Bernie Madoff’s $50bn swindle is to front a BBC2 doc on the subject.

  • ITV plans double dose of The X Factor

    26-May-2009

    ITV is in talks to deliver a double whammy of X Factor during the live finals, with a separate results show on Sunday nights.

  • Channels agree five-year ban on revisiting Kangaroo

    26-May-2009

    Project Kangaroo partners the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV have made a five-year agreement with the Competition Commission that they will not try to acquire any part of their rivals video-on-demand activities.

  • STV to launch new daily show The Hour

    22-May-2009

    STV has revealed plans for its new daily magazine show The Hour - set to launch next Tuesday.

  • iTunes Festival returns to ITV2

    22-May-2009

    Kasabian, Oasis and Snow Patrol are set for ITV2 this summer, with commissioners ordering a second dose of the iTunes Live: London Festival.

  • T4 orders celeb eye-view doc

    22-May-2009

    Channel 4 has ordered a showbiz pilot from Whizz Kid Entertainment where a pin-hole camera fixed at eye-level follows celebrities for a day to see how they really live.

  • ITV's future technology department faces axe

    21-May-2009

    The man behind ITV’s push to embed adverts in online content and develop its technological abilities is facing redundancy as part of ITV’s cost-cutting measures.

  • ITV cuts overtake £150m of Fincham's warning

    21-May-2009

    ITV director of television, multi-channels and online Peter Fincham warned last year that ITV1’s schedule would be decimated if £150m was pulled from its programming budget – £10m less than the total cuts now pledged across ITV’s channels by the end of 2011.

  • Suchet on board Orient Express for ITV1 history doc

    21-May-2009

    Life will imitate art for Poirot actor David Suchet as he takes the Orient Express across Europe for an ITV1 documentary.

  • Mannion questions Ofcom's plans for news

    21-May-2009

    ITV News editor-in-chief David Mannion has questioned whether independent regional news consortia could produce stories to a network standard, and believes that ITN is best placed to take over any new regional news contracts.

  • Flight of the Conchords / Boy Meets Girl

    21-May-2009

    22 May 2009

  • Screen Yorkshire abandons ITV studios bid

    20-May-2009

    Screen Yorkshire has ruled out making a rescue bid for ITV’s Kirkstall Road Studios after deciding that its money would be better spent on trying to generate new production work.

  • Kids TV campaign revived

    20-May-2009

    Indie trade body Pact has stepped up a campaign to increase children’s television production in the UK, which will see the return of a Womble as their spokesman.

  • Parkinson: Melvyn Bragg should join BBC

    19-May-2009

    Michael Parkinson has urged outgoing host of The South Bank Show, Melvyn Bragg, to join the BBC when the iconic arts programme ends next summer.

  • ITV Wales veteran latest cuts casualty

    18-May-2009

    ITV Wales national director Elis Owen will leave the broadcaster after 30 years of service, following a restructure of the Wales and English regions commissioning team.

  • 19 plans drama with Cyrus' beau

    18-May-2009

    Simon Fuller’s 19 Entertainment is pitching a teen drama starring Miley Cyrus’ boyfriend to US networks Fox and HBO.

  • ITV forecasts 19% drop in ad revenue

    14-May-2009

    ITV AGM: ITV is predicting its advertising revenues will fall 19% this quarter as the recession continues to wreak havoc with the television ad market - and says it will “move away” from red button, interactivity and gaming.

  • ITV shareholders voice anger at Grade

    14-May-2009

    ITV AGM: Angry shareholders frustrated at ITV’s underperformance aimed their frustrations squarely at ITV executive chairman Michael Grade in the commercial broadcaster’s AGM today (14 May).

  • Grade: Canvas won't fail like Kangaroo

    14-May-2009

    ITV AGM: ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has staunchly defended the commercial broadcaster’s investment into its VOD joint venture with BT and the BBC - Project Canvas.

  • ITV company secretary resigns

    14-May-2009

    ITV AGM: ITV company secretary James Tibbitts has resigned after five years in the post.

  • ITV programming budget slashed by £20m

    14-May-2009

    ITV AGM: ITV is to cut its programming budget by a further £20m - part of measures to save £40m at the commercial broadcaster.

  • ITV names chief exec headhunter

    14-May-2009

    ITV AGM: ITV has tasked Russell Reynolds Associates with finding its new chief executive.

  • ITV to cut an extra £40m

    14-May-2009

    ITV will make an extra £40m in cost savings over the next two years after profits fell by 14% in the first quarter of this year.

  • Freeview HD plans in doubt

    14-May-2009

    Free-to-air HD could become the latest victim of the crisis in TV funding as ITV and Channel 4 reconsider plans to launch HD channels on Freeview.

  • 'Radical' Ball's past ITV criticisms

    14-May-2009

    Former BSkyB chief executive Tony Ball, hotly tipped to become the next chief executive of ITV, has previously slammed the broadcaster for failing to embrace new technology, capitalise on its programmes or develop ITV Studios into a world-leading producer.

  • Canvas partners hit back at critics

    13-May-2009

    Project Canvas’s partners, the BBC, ITV and BT, have fought back against critics of the IPTV joint venture, saying that the initiative will transform the TV industry.

  • Katy Brand returning to ITV2 for third series

    13-May-2009

    Comedian Katy Brand will be returning to ITV2 this autumn with a third instalment of Katy’s Brand’s Big Ass Show.

  • ITN Source partners with EMI music publisher

    13-May-2009

    ITN’s archive footage site ITN Source has partnered with EMI’s music publishing site Play Production in a bid to create a one-stop-shop for clients wishing to licence a video clip and suitable music at the same time.

  • Wedding TV plans original content push

    13-May-2009

    Wedding TV will look to build its original entertainment slate following signing a deal with brand and content partnership specialist site Brandirector.com.

  • Wild at Heart wins fifth series

    12-May-2009

    ITV has commissioned a fifth series of Wild at Heart, scotching rumours that the Africa-based drama could be axed.

  • Split won't affect ITV2's Katie and Peter Stateside

    11-May-2009

    ITV has no plans to pull Katie Price and Peter Andre’s fly on the wall series Katie & Peter: Stateside, despite the couple announcing their separation today.

  • BSkyB rules itself out of bidding for ITV local news

    11-May-2009

    BSkyB has ruled itself out of providing local news for ITV, saying that joining any of the news consortia would not fit with Sky News’ status as an “independent, commercially funded news service”.

  • Emmerdale censured over violence

    11-May-2009

    A fist-fight between Emmerdale brothers Mathew and Carl King has been criticised as too violent for a pre-watershed audience by media regulator Ofcom.

  • Save the South Bank Show, says Coldplay's Chris Martin

    11-May-2009

    Coldplay front man Chris Martin has declared that ITV flagship arts programme the South Bank Show should be saved.

  • Timeline: Richard and Judy

    8-May-2009

    The career to date of presenting duo Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.

  • UKTV's Home orders more community makeover shows

    8-May-2009

    American Ty Pennington will return to UKTV this spring to dish out a double dose of goodwill.

  • RTL revenues slide 11%

    8-May-2009

    Five-owner RTL has blamed tough economic conditions across the European TV market for a profits slump of 11.1% in its first quarter revenue.

  • Bragg: Restrictions are killing ITV

    7-May-2009

    Melvyn Bragg has issued a stark warning to the government that ITV could be “killed off” if it did not urgently lift “ridiculous financial restrictions” imposed on it.

  • ITV admits to issue with programme backlog

    6-May-2009

    ITV has scaled back its commissioning needs because it is now “overstocked” with programmes, according to executive chairman Michael Grade.

  • BreakThru composes Chopin project

    6-May-2009

    BreakThru Films, the Oscar-winning indie behind Peter and The Wolf, has announced its next project - a multiplatform spectacle celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of composer Frederic Chopin.

  • Bragg exit will kill arts on ITV, say insiders

    6-May-2009

    ITV insiders fear that Melvyn Bragg's departure will mark the death of arts on the commerical broadcaster, despite assurances today that new arts programmes will be sought.

  • Melvyn Bragg to quit ITV

    6-May-2009

    Melvyn Bragg will step down as series editor and presenter of the South Bank Show next year, bringing the long-running arts show to a close. He will also retire as controller of arts for ITV Studios.

  • ITV Global acquires We'rewolves

    6-May-2009

    ITV Global Entertainment has acquired the international distribution rights for We'rewolves, the new TV drama from Walking with Dinosaurs writer Jasper James.

  • ITV is overstocked, says Grade

    30-Apr-2009

    ITV has scaled back its commissioning needs because it is “overstocked” with programmes, according to outgoing executive chairman Michael Grade.

  • Grade: my successor faces key decisions

    30-Apr-2009

    Michael Grade has said that ITV is “reverting to plan A” with his decision to step down as executive chairman a year earlier than planned.

  • Bedell seeks shiny-floor show

    29-Apr-2009

    New ITV director of comedy and entertainment Elaine Bedell is looking for a 60-minute entertainment show to air at 9pm on Fridays on ITV1.

  • Will a change of leadership save ITV?

    29-Apr-2009

    Grade's decision to step down as executive chairman of ITV and into a non-executive role has created two camps - optimists and those who think it will end badly.

  • Report to decide bid for ITV's Leeds studios

    29-Apr-2009

    Screen Yorkshire is waiting on the results of a feasibility study which it will use to decide whether to mount a bid for ITV's moth-balled Kirkstall Road Studios in Leeds.

  • ITV's Benidorm to return with hour-long episodes

    29-Apr-2009

    Tiger Aspect's Spanish holiday resort comedy Benidorm will switch to hour-long episodes kicking off with a one-off special when it returns to ITV1 this summer.

  • STV pilots regional news consortium

    29-Apr-2009

    Scottish broadcaster STV will look to pilot a groundbreaking scheme where a consortium of local media companies will become partners in the provision of its local TV news service by the end of this year.

  • ITV to refresh This Morning

    29-Apr-2009

    ITV has denied there will be a cull of its This Morning presenters - but admitted it is looking at ways to refresh the programme, including its line up of experts.

  • Channel M to cut 41 jobs

    28-Apr-2009

    Manchester Evening News' local TV station Channel M is set to cut up to 41 jobs and scale back its schedule in a bid to reduce costs.

  • Hell's Kitchen scorches Traffic Cops

    24-Apr-2009

    ITV1'S Hells Kitchen pulled in a heavenly 4.1m viewers for the commercial broadcaster last night, narrowly edging out BBC1's Traffic Cops.

  • Ofcom deals Project Canvas another blow

    24-Apr-2009

    Project Canvas has been dealt another blow after Ofcom joined technology trade body Intellect Technology Association in raising serious competition concerns about the project.

  • ITV makes Bennett boss of digital channels

    23-Apr-2009

    ITV2 controller Zai Bennett has been promoted to the newly created role of director of digital channels and acquisitions at the commercial broadcaster.

  • ITV has golden opportunity, says industry

    23-Apr-2009

    Industry experts have said Michael Grade's decision to step down will give the commercial broadcaster a golden opportunity to find a fresh leader with new-media credentials.

  • Highs and lows of Grade's time at ITV

    23-Apr-2009

    Over two and half years, Michael Grade has experienced highs and lows as executive chairman of ITV. Broadcastnow presents his best and worst moments.

  • ITV share price dives after Grade departure announced

    23-Apr-2009

    ITV's share price fell nearly 10% following executive chairman Michael Grade's decision to step down by the end of this year.

  • Ladette to Lady back on ITV1 with Aussie version

    22-Apr-2009

    ITV1 has bought the Australian version of Ladette to Lady - a year after cancelling the British version of the show.

  • Fans rally to save BBC comedy Not Going Out

    22-Apr-2009

    A dedicated group of fans has pulled together a 1,500 strong petition in a bid to save axed BBC1 comedy Not Going Out.

  • ITV Studios plans public vs expert quiz

    22-Apr-2009

    ITV Studios is developing a 60-minute daytime quiz show pilot, earmarked for ITV1.

  • Bob creator to mentor animators

    22-Apr-2009

    Bob the Builder creator Curtis Jobling is to work with upcoming animators on adapting nursery rhymes for deaf children.

  • ITV's Jeff Anderson quits

    21-Apr-2009

    ITV controller of documentaries and current affairs Jeff Anderson is to step down, with Ian Squires named the new controller of regions and current affairs.

  • ITV's Knight wins online ad role

    21-Apr-2009

    ITV brand partnership director Gary Knight is set to take on responsibility for the commercial broadcaster's online advertising after revealing Gary Cole, its former head of online revenue will not be replaced.

  • Stephen Fry lampoons Digital Britain

    20-Apr-2009

    Presenter Stephen Fry has delivered a scathing attack on the government's Digital Britain report, saying that consultation was unnecessary.

  • NUJ's McLaughlin steps down

    16-Apr-2009

    NUJ broadcasting organiser Paul McLaughlin is to step down as part of measures at the union to save£500,000 a year.

  • UTV unveils late-night news

    15-Apr-2009

    UTV, the Northern Irish ITV franchise holder, will launch a hard-hitting late-night news and current affairs show as part of its push to develop more of its own regional opt-outs.

  • Indies urge ITV to end limbo

    15-Apr-2009

    Indies and ITV insiders have urged the commercial broadcaster's bosses to finalise its structure and budgets as soon as possible to draw a line under its “month in limbo”.

  • Bedell's first ITV order is Piers extension

    15-Apr-2009

    ITV director of entertainment and comedy Elaine Bedell's first commission is to hand Piers Morgan an extended run of his Life Stories chat show.

  • North East decline drives staff exodus

    15-Apr-2009

    A third of production staff in the north east of England have left the region to find work over the past 18 months, according to new figures from development agency Northern Film and Media.

  • ITV poaches Red Bull races from C4

    15-Apr-2009

    ITV has snatched the rights to this year's Red Bull Air Race World Championship from Channel 4.

  • Complaints mount over Britain's Got Talent stripper

    15-Apr-2009

    The housewife who stripped to a basque and nipple tassles in the premiere of ITV1's variety quest Britain's Got Talent has sparked nearly 40 complaints to Ofcom.

  • Ofcom investigates Corrie Christianity rant

    15-Apr-2009

    Ofcom has received 23 complaints following Coronation Street's Easter special in which character Ken Barlow accused the Christian faith of targeting “vulnerable people”.

  • Allen and McCulloch team for joint venture

    15-Apr-2009

    Former ITV chief executive Charles Allen has teamed up with two of his former colleagues to create a new management consultancy specialising in restructuring media businesses.

  • ITV2 to cover Isle of Wight festival

    15-Apr-2009

    ITV2 will return to the Isle of Wight this year for its weekend long music festival.

  • Third of ITV web content team face redundancy

    14-Apr-2009

    Almost a third of ITV's web content team is being made redundant as part of the broadcaster's cull of 600 jobs.

  • Zigby set for CBeebies

    14-Apr-2009

    CBeebies has secured the rights to a new CGI-animated series based on an adventurous zebra.

  • Chapman regains Fifi rights

    14-Apr-2009

    Chapman Entertainment has not renewed its licensing partnership with Target Entertainment for popular kids brand Fifi and the Flowertots.

  • ITV confirms Iacono exit

    14-Apr-2009

    ITV president and managing director of global entertainment, Peter Iacono has left the broadcaster after just over a year in the post, the broadcaster has confirmed.

  • Heartbeat and The Royal secures tourism deal

    9-Apr-2009

    Fears that resting production on iconic Yorkshire-based programmes Heartbeat and The Royal will harm tourism could be allayed thanks to a new commercial deal.

  • ITV to air fewer acquisitions

    8-Apr-2009

    ITV has revealed it will show fewer internationally produced shows in the coming years as director of acquisitions Jay Kandola prepares to leave the broadcaster in June.

  • ITV Global seeks 50% co-pro deal on format sales

    8-Apr-2009

    ITV Global Entertainment will only sell formats to international broadcasters or producers if it can agree at least a 50% co-production credit for the shows.

  • Percy warns of funding crisis for high-end docs

    7-Apr-2009

    Award-winning film-maker Norma Percy has warned that high-end documentary makers are facing a funding crisis as cash from broadcasters, particularly in America, dries up.

  • Norma Percy, documentary-maker

    7-Apr-2009

    The Broadcast Interview

  • Antonioni quits ITV brands role

    7-Apr-2009

    ITV Global Entertainment's commercial brands director Gustavo Antonioni has left the broadcaster after taking voluntary redundancy.

  • Isle of Man votes for ITV's Granada region

    7-Apr-2009

    The Isle of Man will become part of ITV's Granada region from 16 July after its residents voted to leave the newly expanded Border region.

  • BBC reveals Emma details

    6-Apr-2009

    Atonement actress Romola Garai is set to lead an all star cast in the BBC's forthcoming adaptation of Jane Austen classic Emma.

  • CBBC's got the Zoo Factor

    2-Apr-2009

    MipTV: A Britain's Got Talent-style puppet show starring a host of wild animals and the catchphrase “If you're beaten, you're eaten”, is set for CBBC.

  • Daytime feels pinch in ITV efficiency review

    1-Apr-2009

    ITV's daytime brands will be among the first to feel the pinch as the broadcaster kicks off an efficiency review of every single returning show.

  • Cooper and Smith land ITV entertainment roles

    1-Apr-2009

    ITV's John Kaye Cooper and Layla Smith are the two controllers who will stay on at the commercial broadcaster under new director of entertainment and comedy Elaine Bedell.

  • Ray Mears in new Survival bid

    1-Apr-2009

    Wilderness expert Ray Mears will track three of nature's top predators in a revival of classic ITV1 natural history brand Survival next year.

  • Endemol plans product placement in web catch-up

    1-Apr-2009

    Branded cereal packets could soon be seen in the kitchen of the Big Brother house as part of a plan from Endemol to insert product placement into catch-up content that is viewed online.

  • Ex-ITN chief appointed to Future board

    1-Apr-2009

    Former ITN chief executive Mark Wood to to join the board of special-interest media group Future.

  • US call for Fonejacker

    1-Apr-2009

    MipTV: E4's notorious prankster Fonejacker will be heading to the US after Hat Trick International sold both series to Comedy Central.

  • Indie to Pimp My Bride

    1-Apr-2009

    Plain brides-to-be will get made over Katie Price style for their wedding day in a new series being developed by indie Cat Boards.

  • Driver Dan steaming towards CBeebies

    1-Apr-2009

    MipTV: Indie 3Line Media has inked a deal with Abu Dhabi production team twofour54 to produce an Arabic and English version of children's series Driver Dan's Story Train for CBeebies.

  • UK to show Pushing Daisies finale before US

    31-Mar-2009

    UK audiences will get to see the final episodes of Pushing Daisies before US viewers, following a decision by ITV to air the full series of the axed ABC drama.

  • Ex-LWT veteran dies

    31-Mar-2009

    Former London Weekend Television veteran Jane Honeycombe, who brought shows such as Blind Date and Surprise Surprise to the screen, has died after a short battle with illness.

  • ITV's Loose Women gets Project Penguin treatment

    30-Mar-2009

    ITV has introduced a host of new social networking features for Loose Women and is planning more for Coronation Street as part of its Project Penguin plans.

  • BBC4 lines up Royal Opera House shows

    30-Mar-2009

    BBC4 is to broadcast a three-part series on Italian opera classics and Verdi's acclaimed opera Don Carlo as part of a new agreement with the Royal Opera House.

  • Bedell to select ITV team

    25-Mar-2009

    The process of reshaping ITV's entertainment commissioning team began this week with new director of entertainment and comedy Elaine Bedell and director of television, channels and online Peter Fincham holding interviews from 26 March.

  • The Broadcast interview: Lee Bartlett

    25-Mar-2009

    The not-so-quiet American tells Kate McMahon about ITV's cautious culture, why uncertainty is bad for creativity and his strategy for cashing in on the big brands.

  • ITV Global to offer Saturday Night Takeaway spin-off to rivals

    25-Mar-2009

    ITV wants to turn the flagship Win the Ads segment of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway into a standalone show - but hopes to sell it to a rival UK broadcaster.

  • ITV1 orders more Above Suspicion from La Plante

    25-Mar-2009

    ITV1 is turning Above Suspicion into a returning series after ordering a three-part sequel to last year's Lynda La Plante thriller.

  • ITV moots higher PRTS charges as trust returns

    25-Mar-2009

    ITV is considering raising the cost of entering its highest-profile competitions by 50% to£1.50 after a resurgence in viewers using its premium rate phone-in services.

  • McDonald to present ITV1 car crime doc

    25-Mar-2009

    Trevor McDonald is to front an ITV1 series on car crime this summer.

  • I'm a Celeb sold to NBC

    25-Mar-2009

    ITV Studios has received a pre-Mip boost with American broadcaster NBC confirming it has bought the format I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here.

  • ITV: BBC partnerships will not save regional news

    24-Mar-2009

    ITV director of news, current affairs and sport Michael Jermey has revealed the BBC sharing proposals will not safeguard regional news coverage on ITV in the medium term - and called on the government to introduce a new model as early as next year.

  • ITV: viewers need clarity about online viewing

    20-Mar-2009

    ITV has called on the industry to ensure consumers are fully aware of the nature of online content before they or their children watch it.

  • BBC wins back Boat Race

    19-Mar-2009

    The BBC has signed a five-year deal to host the Boat Race, bringing the event back to the broadcaster for the first time since 2004.

  • Making a crisis out of drama

    18-Mar-2009

    Peter Kosminsky last week attacked the practice of commissioning to order and accused the BBC of playing it safe. Kate McMahon asks commissioners and indies for their reaction.

  • VoD use grows to 50%

    18-Mar-2009

    Half of the UK population has used catch-up services and 20% of people access VoD services on a weekly basis, according to a new survey from the Association for Television Video on Demand.

  • Disney boss named new ITN chief executive

    17-Mar-2009

    Disney's European TV boss John Hardie has been revealed as ITN's new chief executive officer.

  • Concerns over S4C's English ambitions

    16-Mar-2009

    Campaigners have raised concerns about S4C's ambitions to take over English language news services on ITV, warning that any bid should not distract the broadcaster from its core purpose of providing Welsh programmes.

  • Harries slams product placement decision

    13-Mar-2009

    TV Drama Forum: Bafta winning producer Andy Harries has blasted the government for failing to lift product placement restrictions in the UK.

  • Revenue rises 6% at UTV

    12-Mar-2009

    Northern Irish broadcaster UTV Media has posted a 6% rise in revenue for 2008, increasing group turnover to£120.3m and making a pre-tax profit before exceptional items of£20.3m.

  • ITV's commissioning future shapes up

    11-Mar-2009

    ITV's six entertainment commissioners will battle it out for two jobs when the broadcaster's new director of entertainment and comedy Elaine Bedell steps into her role on 23 March.

  • Burnham: no to placement

    11-Mar-2009

    ITV has branded media secretary Andy Burnham's decision not to allow product placement in UK-made TV shows “perverse”.

  • Whittingdale: Product ban is 'very foolish'

    11-Mar-2009

    Shadow media secretary John Whittingdale has blasted media secretary Andy Burnham over the continued ban on product placement, branding the decision 'very foolish'.

  • ITV names Niall Sloane controller of sport

    11-Mar-2009

    Former BBC head of football and Formula One Niall Sloane has been named as the new controller of sport at rival ITV.

  • Pact: Product ban will deprive industry of£72m

    11-Mar-2009

    Pact chief executive John McVay has criticised media secretary Andy Burnham's decision to continue the ban on product placement in the UK, saying it will deprive the television industry of a£72m cash injection.

  • C4's Duncan supports product placement ban

    11-Mar-2009

    Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has backed media secretary Andy Burnham's ban on product placement in UK produced programmes, saying any relaxation of rules would deliver “marginal commercial benefit”.

  • Grade to fight product placement decision

    11-Mar-2009

    ITV's executive chairman Michael Grade has vowed to fight the decision to retain the ban on product placement in UK-originated programmes.

  • ITV pulls out of MediaCity

    11-Mar-2009

    ITV Granada and the set of Coronation Street will stay put in its Quay Street Studios after negotiations to move to the new MediaCity development at Salford Quays broke down.

  • Product placement to stay banned on UK TV

    11-Mar-2009

    Product placement will continue to be banned for UK-made TV shows, the government has decided.

  • Schofield to host The Cube

    11-Mar-2009

    This Morning host Phillip Schofield has been named as the host of ITV1's latest Saturday night primetime game show, The Cube.

  • ITV execs rally to save Jim Allen

    9-Mar-2009

    ITV Studios top 35 executives have written to executive chairman Michael Grade and chief operating officer John Cresswell asking them to step in and save the broadcaster's director of factual and entertainment production, Jim Allen.

  • Ofcom clears X Factor voting

    9-Mar-2009

    Ofcom has ruled that the last series of the X Factor did not breach any code of conduct after nearly 1,000 complaints sparked an investigation to the ITV1 talent show.

  • Fading Jade Goody delays interview with Piers Morgan

    6-Mar-2009

    Jade Goody's indepth interview with Piers Morgan for ITV1 has been put on ice due to her deteriorating health.

  • ITV1 cooks up talent show

    6-Mar-2009

    ITV1 is launching cooking contest show that will pit county against county in a bid to find the nation's best amateur chefs.

  • ITV to cut a third of top staff

    6-Mar-2009

    ITV will cut 30% of its highest ranking staff as part of its cost-saving measures, Broadcastnow can reveal.

  • ITV will scrap 70 unfilled roles

    5-Mar-2009

    ITV will leave 70 vacancies unfilled on top of cutting 600 posts as part of its swingeing cost-saving measures.

  • Grade vows to 'spend better'

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has vowed viewers “won't notice” the£135m it will cut from its programming budget over the next three years - but has warned producers to expect more tough negotiations.

  • Brook Lapping to uncover Skippy's story

    4-Mar-2009

    Factual heavyweight Brook Lapping is making a BBC documentary on iconic Australian TV show Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.

  • ITV1 seeks Endemol magic with daytime quiz

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV1 has ordered a long-running tea-time quiz show from the super-indie behind Goldenballs and Deal or No Deal, in which three strangers will work together for a share of a cash prize.

  • ITV share price hits record low

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV shares slumped to a new record low today on the back of its annual results.

  • Bectu: Grade must go

    4-Mar-2009

    Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey has called on ITV chief executive Michael Grade to step down following the commercial broadcaster's annual results, claiming he has lost the confidence of viewers and staff.

  • ITV Consumer cuts 80 jobs

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV1's long running late night show Bingo Night Live has effectively been axed as part of wide-ranging cuts across the commercial broadcasting business.

  • ITV2 imports restaurant show in Granada US deal

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV2 has bought a Marco Pierre White-fronted reality format that Granada America has made for NBC.

  • ITV Yorkshire staff cut by 25%

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV will close its main television centre building at its site in Leeds, making 180 permanent staff redundant and moving Countdown to Manchester.

  • ITV to lay off 600 staff as profits tumble

    4-Mar-2009

    ITV will begin cutting 600 jobs from across the business this week and will remove£135m from its previously untouchable£1bn programming budget over the next three years.

  • ITV staff braced for cuts

    3-Mar-2009

    ITV staff are bracing ahead of tomorrow's annual results, which are expected to announce over 500 job cuts across the business and a reduction in the previously untouchable£1bn programming budget.

  • Bectu: ITV management has lost its way

    3-Mar-2009

    Bectu has condemned ITV's management as having “seriously lost its way”, and warned the broadcaster against closing its Leeds studio.

  • Billie Piper in talks for new ITV drama

    3-Mar-2009

    Secret Diary of a Call Girl actress Billie Piper is in talks to star in a new Tiger Aspect drama being developed for ITV1 about a struggling single mum.

  • Profits double at Fuller's 19 Entertainment

    3-Mar-2009

    19 Entertainment, the indie owned by Pop Idol mogul Simon Fuller, has defied the economic gloom to post a profit of $92m (£65.4m) - almost double that posted in 2007.

  • Corden and Horne to front Comic Relief clip show

    2-Mar-2009

    Gavin and Stacey stars James Corden and Mathew Horne have signed up to host the annual Comic Relief clip show for BBC1.

  • Heartbeat heading to Oz

    2-Mar-2009

    Heartbeat will be saying “G'day” to Australia in the upcoming summer series on ITV1.

  • Video: Laura Mackie, ITV director of drama

    2-Mar-2009

    ITV director of drama Laura Mackie talks to Broadcastnow about upcoming shows, axing long-running series such as Wire in the Blood and what to expect from the forthcoming remake of The Prisoner.

  • Piers to interview Jade for ITV1

    27-Feb-2009

    Piers Morgan will interview Jade Goody in a one-off 60min programme for ITV1 next month.

  • The Simpsons strikes Guinness deal

    27-Feb-2009

    Homer will swap his Duff for a Guinness in a St Patrick's Day episode of The Simpsons, in time for the Irish stout's 250th birthday.

  • STV turnover drops£40m

    26-Feb-2009

    Scottish broadcaster STV plc has declared it is a “lean and mean” operation that can weather the economic storm in its preliminary results this morning, despite group turnover falling by£40m to£145m for the year.

  • Ent Rights in the last throes

    26-Feb-2009

    The future of crisis-hit Entertainment Rights should be resolved shortly after the Postman Pat owner revealed it expects to sell off its assets shortly.

  • Gub Neal quits Box TV to pioneer US-style studio

    25-Feb-2009

    Drama veteran Gub Neal has quit Box TV to set up a pioneering UK studio structure that will place writers at the heart of programme production.

  • The Broadcast Interview: Laura Mackie, ITV Drama

    25-Feb-2009

    The director of ITV Drama talks to Kate McMahon about budgets, bonnets and why she's still on the lookout for ideas that are ambitious and different.

  • Wells and Middleham launch indie start-up

    25-Feb-2009

    Two former ITV Studios entertainment heavyweights have teamed up to create a new indie for high-end, shiny-floor entertainment shows.

  • Mackie reunites the Cold Feet team for rom-com

    25-Feb-2009

    Cold Feet exec producer Andy Harries and director Declan Lowney will be reunited for an ITV -comedy-drama series about six friends negotiating life and love.

  • Cardiff spectrum bid won by Cube

    25-Feb-2009

    Bafta-winning multimedia company Cube Interactive has won the bid for a new spectrum licence in Cardiff from Ofcom.

  • Fry, Dee and Brydon to host Clue

    25-Feb-2009

    Comedians Stephen Fry, Jack Dee and Rob Brydon will share hosting duties of BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue this summer.

  • Laura Mackie on...

    25-Feb-2009

    The director of ITV Drama talks to Kate McMahon about budgets, bonnets and why she's still on the lookout for ideas that are ambitious and different.

  • Carter hits back at critics

    24-Feb-2009

    Communications minister Lord Carter has spoken out against critics of the Digital Britain report, saying he never expected to find a “digital nirvana” for the UK.

  • C4 avoids rap over Christmas message

    23-Feb-2009

    Channel 4's alternative Christmas message featuring Iran President Ahmadinejad has been cleared by Ofcom despite receiving 295 complaints.

  • ITV hunt book deals for key brands

    23-Feb-2009

    ITV is hoping to boost its revenues by securing publishing deals around its primetime and daytime television series.

  • EastEnders paedophile story cleared

    23-Feb-2009

    EastEnders did not breach media broadcasting decency standards, despite a controversial paedophilia storyline according to Ofcom.

  • ITV share price hits all time low

    20-Feb-2009

    ITV's share price slumped to an all time low today - falling to 23.25p a share.

  • ITV targets Studios for cuts

    18-Feb-2009

    ITV Studios is set to be savaged as the broadcaster prepares to cut hundreds of jobs when it announces full-year results on 4 March.

  • ITV1 revives 2007 dating show

    18-Feb-2009

    ITV1 is resurrecting a dating series filmed in 2007 for its spring schedule this year.

  • ITV4 signs Raw TV for American jailbreak series

    18-Feb-2009

    ITV4 has joined forces with Discovery Canada and National Geographic US to order an international co-production about the greatest US jail breaks of all time.

  • ITV1 lines up rural show for early evening slot

    18-Feb-2009

    ITV1 will take an unlikely look at rural Britain's roots in a long-running, early evening show about the nation's heritage, landscapes and people.

  • ITV offloads spectrum asset

    18-Feb-2009

    ITV has sold its 70% stake in broadcast spectrum manager JFMG to leading UK broadcasting infrastructure provider Arqiva for£1m cash.

  • Ten Alps buys another Belfast indie

    18-Feb-2009

    Bob Geldof's production company Ten Alps has scooped up another Belfast indie - this time, the online TV production company County Link Media.

  • Robson Green's indie developing ITV dramas

    18-Feb-2009

    Coastal Productions, the indie co-owned by Robson Green, has confirmed that it is still working on two major dramas for ITV - despite Wire in the Blood being axed.

  • Heartbeat petition tops 10,000

    16-Feb-2009

    The Yorkshire village of Goathland is making a heartfelt appeal to ITV in a bid to save 1960s drama Heartbeat, which is filmed in their village.

  • ITV's plea: let us have product placement

    12-Feb-2009

    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.

  • Pay freeze for ITV execs

    12-Feb-2009

    ITV's employees earning more than£60,000 a year will receive no pay increase in 2009, to help the commercial broadcaster weather the economic downturn.

  • ITV vows 'iced' dramas will go out this year

    11-Feb-2009

    ITV has pledged that more than£10m of drama currently on its shelves will be aired later this year - despite industry fears that some of the shows would never see the light of day.

  • Massie steps down from 19 Entertainment

    11-Feb-2009

    Shiny floor expert Bob Massie has left his role as head of UK television at 19 Entertainment.

  • ITV1 tackles female body image in beauty season

    11-Feb-2009

    An eight-months pregnant Louise Redknapp will investigate the culture of skinny mums as part of a three-part beauty season for ITV1.

  • Sam Mendes to exec Lost in Austen movie

    11-Feb-2009

    ITV's Jane Austen time-travel drama Lost in Austen is to be turned into a movie, with Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes as an executive producer.

  • Blakeway buys Belfast indie

    11-Feb-2009

    Ten Alps subsidiary Blakeway Productions has acquired the Belfast-based indie Below the Radar in a deal worth up to£800,000 to help expand its factual output.

  • Moving Wallpaper moving forward

    11-Feb-2009

    ITV is facing a mad rush to promote the upcoming series of Moving Wallpaper after schedulers brought forward its launch date from June to 27 February.

  • Coronation Street: The video game

    11-Feb-2009

    Step aside Mario and Lara Croft. A Coronation Street-themed video game is in the works, following a licencing deal struck by ITV.

  • Wolf wants Muslim Law and Order

    11-Feb-2009

    Law and Order creator Dick Wolf wants to create a spin-off version of the long-running crime drama set in a Muslim country.

  • Foyle's War and Doc Martin to return to ITV1

    10-Feb-2009

    Foyles War is to make a long-awaited return to ITV, while whimiscal drama Doc Martin is also set for further adventures.

  • Coldplay get the South Bank treatment

    9-Feb-2009

    An intimate portrait of rock group Coldplay will be produced by ITV Studios for long running arts programme The South Bank Show.

  • ITN unveils iPhone app

    9-Feb-2009

    ITN has launched an application which can be used with the Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch to watch the latest news videos - even when offline.

  • Ex-Emap exec to chair Entertainment Rights

    9-Feb-2009

    Sir Robin Miller has been named chairman of Entertainment Rights, the company behind Postman Pat and Basil Brush, following the retirement of founder Rod Bransgrove.

  • Grade apologies for ITV football gaffe

    5-Feb-2009

    Millions of football fans were left fuming last night as ITV cut away to adverts in the dying minutes of an FA Cup tie, missing the only goal, leading to more than 1,000 complaints.

  • ITV Studios teams with Shine

    5-Feb-2009

    ITV Studios and Shine Group have signed a deal to create daytime and entertainment formats for ITV.

  • CBeebies gets rights to Cosgrove series

    5-Feb-2009

    Cosgrove Hall Films has received a shot in the arm with CBeebies picking up the UK broadcast rights to its new animated pre-school series Ruby to the Rescue.

  • ITV exec warns staff to expect more cost cutting

    5-Feb-2009

    ITV chief operating officer John Cresswell has warned staff to expect more swingeing cost-saving measures on 4 March.

  • ITV1 explores rough and soft side of Holloway

    4-Feb-2009

    Wild Pictures will expose the drugs, arson and violence of Holloway Prison - as well as the softer side of Europe's largest female jail - in a three part series for ITV1.

  • ITV to reveal more cuts on 4 March

    4-Feb-2009

    ITV chief operating officer John Cresswell has warned staff to expect more swingeing cost saving measures on 4 March.

  • Linsey named BBC entertainment commissioner

    4-Feb-2009

    The BBC has appointed Mark Linsey the new controller of entertainment commissioning, following Elaine Bedell's defection to ITV.

  • Vinnie Jones to shadow hard cops for ITV4

    4-Feb-2009

    Vinnie Jones will be returning to ITV4 for another round of World Toughest Cops, but this time will travel around the world to meet them on the front line.

  • BBC drops Carol Thatcher

    4-Feb-2009

    The BBC has dropped Carol Thatcher as a presenter of BBC1's The One Show after she called a professional tennis player a “golliwog”.

  • ITV hands Big Tackle to rugby star

    3-Feb-2009

    England rugby stars Austin Healey and Matt Dawson have been selected to present new sports programmes on ITV4.

  • Billie Piper mulls indie launch

    2-Feb-2009

    Billie Piper could be the next high profile celebrity to set up their own independent production company.

  • Expert warns 'beware the digital divide'

    30-Jan-2009

    Plans to deliver broadband access to every home in Britain by 2012 will not succeed unless the internet becomes relevant to more of the British population, according to Deloitte director of research Paul Lee.

  • Digital Britain: The action plan

    29-Jan-2009

    Here, Broadcastnow presents the 22-point action plan proposed by the DCMS in its Digital Britain interim report.

  • Digital Britain: Main objectives

    29-Jan-2009

    The key objectives for shifting Britain to the forefront of the digital economy has been outlined in the Digital Britain interim report.

  • Question mark over cash ITV put aside for regions

    28-Jan-2009

    The future of at least£2m earmarked by ITV for funding indies in the nations and regions has been thrown into doubt after the fund editor was made redundant.

  • Anderson move prompts ITV factual reshuffle

    28-Jan-2009

    ITV's factual commissioning team has been reshuffled following Jeff Anderson's move to news and current affairs last month.

  • UTV to keep news at its heart in PSB shake-up

    28-Jan-2009

    UTV managing director Michael Wilson has revealed plans to “completely reinvigorate” the Northern Irish broadcaster following the second phase of Ofcom's PSB review.

  • Fonejacker to spring face-to-face pranks

    28-Jan-2009

    The Fonejacker, Kayvan Novak, has lined up a new comedy prank show for Channel 4 - but is hanging up his phone.

  • NUJ slams BBC/ITV regional plans

    28-Jan-2009

    The National Union of Journalists has condemned ITV and BBC's sharing plans for regional news bureaus, and has written to the Office of Fair Trading urging it to intervene.

  • Axe hangs over Heartbeat and The Royal

    28-Jan-2009

    ITV has denied it plans to axe long-running drama Heartbeat, and spin-off series The Royal, but will not take a view on recommissioning either series until 2011.

  • BBC confirms Ab Fab remake

    26-Jan-2009

    Classic BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous is to receive the Hollywood treatment for a US pilot.

  • ITV names Emmerdale series producer

    22-Jan-2009

    Coronation Street assistant producer Gavin Blyth has been named as the new series producer for the long-running soap Emmerdale.

  • ITV to become 'limited' PSB

    21-Jan-2009

    ITV is poised to throw off its 'regulatory burden' after Ofcom gave the green light for the commercial broadcaster to dramatically scale back its PSB licence obligations.

  • Ofcom: we haven't 'rolled over' for ITV

    20-Jan-2009

    Ofcom deputy chairman Philip Graf has defended the media regulator ahead of tomorrow's Public Service Broadcasting report, insisting it was not 'rolling over' in the face of demands from ITV to reduce its regulatory burden.

  • ITV to add gloss to shared BBC regional news

    20-Jan-2009

    The BBC would share footage of on-diary regional stories with ITV under its news partnership proposals, leaving the commercial broadcaster free to add its own “editorial gloss” and pursue off-diary investigative stories.

  • ITV closes Britannia High

    19-Jan-2009

    ITV will not recommission its teen musical drama Britannia High, despite investing heavily in the franchise, after the first season was a ratings flop.

  • ITV suffers ad revenue downgrade

    19-Jan-2009

    ITV's 2009 advertising revenue will fall by as much as 13%, rather than the expected 7% slump, Standard & Poor's has predicted.

  • Morph creator Tony Hart dies

    19-Jan-2009

    Tony Hart, one of Britain's best loved children's television presenters and the creator of Morph, has died aged 83.

  • Faye Barker to present ITV Morning News

    8-Jan-2009

    Faye Barker has been appointed as the new presenter of ITV's morning news bulletin.

  • Deadline announced for local TV licences

    7-Jan-2009

    Bidders for the new local television licences in Manchester and Cardiff have until 26 January and 18 February respectively to submit their proposals.

  • ITV takes 25% stake in Carbon Media

    6-Jan-2009

    ITV Studios has paid£1.1m for a 25% stake in Carbon Media - the indie behind Channel 4's Jump Britain.

  • Jermey appointed ITV Sport boss

    6-Jan-2009

    ITV director of news and current affairs Michael Jermey has been handed control of the broadcaster's sports output, replacing the outgoing director Mark Sharman.

  • Yahoo and Samsung sign internet TV deal

    6-Jan-2009

    UK viewers will be able to surf the internet, watch YouTube and browse eBay on their TVs within months, following a landmark deal between Samsung and internet search firm Yahoo!.

  • NUJ organises anti-redundancy event

    5-Jan-2009

    The NUJ is organising a one day event in a bid to help broadcast journalists “take a stand” against redundancies, budget cuts and pay freezes across the industry.

  • ITV1 to trace troubled ITN newsreader

    19-Dec-2008

    Former ITN newsreader Ed Mitchell will return to ITV1 in January to show his life a year on from his slide into alcoholism and homelessness.

  • C4 orders more Sex Ed

    19-Dec-2008

    Channel 4's controversial series The Sex Education Show will be back on screen next spring, this time featuring couples talking about their use of pornography.

  • ITV4 secures Tour De France to 2013

    19-Dec-2008

    ITV4 will show daily live coverage of the Tour De France for the first time next year and has secured the rights for the race until 2013.

  • ITV Studios in landmark tie-up with Renegade

    17-Dec-2008

    ITV Studios factual department has partnered with the indie behind Don't Tell the Bride and The Boys from Baghdad High in a landmark deal to co-develop factual programmes for UK broadcasters.

  • Disney appoints channel distribution boss

    17-Dec-2008

    Disney-ABC-ESPN Television has appointed Kakhaber Abashidze to handle channel distribution across most of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

  • Survivors still going strong

    17-Dec-2008

    BBC1's apocalyptic drama Survivors killed off the competition at 9pm last night, drawing 5m viewers (22.2%) as ITV1 struggled.

  • ITN On partners with FHM

    17-Dec-2008

    ITN On has partnered with Bauer owned men's website FHM.com to create a raft of new entertainment content and programmes.

  • No Heroics flies onto ITV1

    17-Dec-2008

    ITV2's first original comedy sitcom, No Heroics, will be repeated on ITV1 in the new year.

  • Takeaway to split into two indies

    17-Dec-2008

    Takeaway Media is to split into two new companies after directors Archie Baron and Neil Cameron decided to go their separate ways.

  • Fremantle seals first archive deal

    16-Dec-2008

    Fremantle Media has kicked off a strategy of acquiring rights to archive content by signing a deal with American red carpet film company Celebrity Footage.

  • NetPlay to launch Freeview channel

    15-Dec-2008

    Interactive gaming company NetPlay will launch a 24-hour Freeview channel in the new year.

  • Ofcom to kick off local TV spectrum sale

    15-Dec-2008

    Ofcom will auction off localised Freeview spectrum in Cardiff and Manchester in February, kicking off a spree which could see dozens of new community television stations spring up across the UK.

  • UTV talks break down

    12-Dec-2008

    UTV staff will be facing widespread redundancies in the New Year after negotiations broke down between the National Union of Journalists, Bectu and the broadcaster.

  • Redundancies loom at UTV

    11-Dec-2008

    UTV workers could be facing large scale redundancies before Christmas after redundancy negotiations broke down between the National Union of Journalists, Bectu and the broadcaster.

  • ITV Studios poaches BBC daytime exec

    11-Dec-2008

    BBC daytime commissioning editor Sumi Connock will jump channels to become the new Manchester head of entertainment for ITV Studios.

  • Kangaroo poised to shake off competition shackles

    3-Dec-2008

    BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 have just 13 days to save video-on-demand joint venture Project Kangaroo - but are still confident it will launch next spring.

  • Wild at Heart star flies across Africa for ITV1

    3-Dec-2008

    Wild at Heart actor Stephen Tompkinson will fly across Africa in a Victorian-style hot air balloon for a factual series on ITV1.

  • 360 degrees

    3-Dec-2008

    Diagonal View - the quirky internet clips channel jointly owned by ITN Source and entrepreneur Matt Heiman - has soft-launched sister channel U-zoo.

  • Bargain hunting for talented indies

    3-Dec-2008

    Major media players are strengthening their position in the market by using the economic downturn as an opportunity to buy up smaller attractive indies.

  • Competition Commission demands changes to Project Kangaroo

    3-Dec-2008

    The Competition Commission has warned that joint video-on-demand project proposed by the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, Project Kangaroo, will not go ahead unless changes are made to ensure the VoD market remains competitive.

  • Project Kangaroo report due tomorrow

    2-Dec-2008

    The Competition Commission will publish its provisional findings on the proposed BBC, ITV and Channel 4 joint video-on-demand service Project Kangaroo tomorrow (3 December).

  • ITV to embed ads in UGC

    2-Dec-2008

    ITV have unveiled plans to embed advertising in all user generated content uploaded onto ITV Local.

  • Diamond declares Fat War

    2-Dec-2008

    Former TV-am host Anne Diamond will appear in a one-off documentary for Sky Real Lives to kick off its Extraordinary Weight Loss Season next January.

  • ITV3 orders first factual show

    2-Dec-2008

    ITV3 has commissioned a glossy property show for its first factual series, based around it most popular dramas.

  • BBC's Bedell to join ITV

    1-Dec-2008

    BBC controller of entertainment commissioning Elaine Bedell will replace outgoing ITV director of entertainment and comedy Paul Jackson as part of a wider shake up of the commercial broadcaster's commissioning team.

  • Ofcom rap ITV1 over transport plan ads

    28-Nov-2008

    Ofcom has rapped ITV1 Granada over an ad for the Greater Manchester transport plan, finding it breached the TV advertising code.

  • ITN secures Asian news agency deal

    28-Nov-2008

    Asian News International - the company that has been producing much of the footage of the Mumbai terrorism attacks - has signed an exclusive representation deal with ITN Source.

  • Demons to spawn ITV's first interactive game

    28-Nov-2008

    ITV has unveiled plans to launch its first online interactive game themed on forthcoming Van Helsing drama Demons.

  • Sky to appeal ITV stake decision

    28-Nov-2008

    BSkyB has applied to the Competition Appeal Tribunal for permission to make its case to the Court of Appeal in a bid to keep its 17.9% stake in ITV plc.

  • ITV braces itself for more cuts and job losses

    28-Nov-2008

    ITV has called in the Boston Consultancy Group for the second time this year to help it identify new areas of the business where costs can be cut.

  • BBC names acting head of radio comedy

    27-Nov-2008

    Comedy producer and writer Gareth Edwards has been appointed acting head of radio comedy at the BBC, while a permanent replacement is found for Paul Schlesinger.

  • ITV Studios eyes Jackson deal

    27-Nov-2008

    ITV Studios' next indie investment could be with a familiar face - outgoing ITV director of entertainment and comedy Paul Jackson.

  • STV to pump£1m into production division

    27-Nov-2008

    STV will pump almost£1m into its STV Productions development division as part of a drive to create global formats, co-productions and advertiser-funded content for a broad range of broadcasters.

  • Brook Lapping to make landmark BBC2 Iran doc

    26-Nov-2008

    BBC2 has commissioned a landmark documentary series on Iran and its relationship with the Western world from the producer of Death of Yugoslavia and Israel and The Arabs.

  • ITV1 follows Fat Teens in Love at summer camp

    26-Nov-2008

    A group of obese teenagers who find love and confidence at summer camp will star in an upcoming documentary for ITV1.

  • UK focus for De Agostini global ambition

    26-Nov-2008

    European media giant De Agostini Group is poised for an acquisition spree in the UK and the US, with a focus on companies with strong IP catalogues. Brands owned by troubled kids company Entertainment Rights are believed to be at the top of its shopping list.

  • Katy Brand to front ITV2 special

    26-Nov-2008

    Comedian Katy Brand will return to ITV2 screens next month in a spoof musical countdown of the “hottest songs of the year”.

  • Broadcasters mull web hit Toyboize

    26-Nov-2008

    TalkbackThames is in talks with broadcasters to take its web comedy series Toyboize to the small screen after its audience topped 1 million.

  • Ben Shephard to host revived Krypton Factor

    26-Nov-2008

    Ben Shephard will host the revived game show The Krypton Factor.

  • Job cuts pending at Entertainment Rights

    25-Nov-2008

    Entertainment Rights, the company that owns Postman Pat, Rupert the Bear and The Lone Ranger has confirmed it will make redundancies in a bid to cut£5m in costs.

  • ITV.com scores 300,000 views for FA Cup

    25-Nov-2008

    ITV's online video highlights of the early rounds of the FA Cup have drawn more than 300,000 video views since the competition began.

  • iTunes to deliver Postman Pat

    25-Nov-2008

    Classic children's television programming including He-Man, Rupert the Bear and Finley the Fire Engine is now available to download on iTunes following a landmark deal with Entertainment Rights.

  • Brits sweep International Emmys

    25-Nov-2008

    British talent dominated the International Emmys in New York last night, winning seven of the 10 awards.

  • ITV Studios name factual and features controller

    24-Nov-2008

    ITV Studios has appointed Alexander Gardiner as its new controller of factual and features for Manchester and Leeds.

  • Skellett and Weitzman launch indie

    24-Nov-2008

    Director Simon Weitzman has teamed up with digital artist Paul Skellett to form a new media production studio.

  • Celebs to dance for ITV Studios

    24-Nov-2008

    A new dance show where celebrities are taught some of the most famous routines in history is in the pipeline at ITV Studios.

  • Deayton to replace Ross as Comedy Awards host

    21-Nov-2008

    Angus Deayton will host this year's British Comedy Awards, replacing disgraced BBC presenter Jonathan Ross.

  • Five orders docs on ITV stars

    21-Nov-2008

    Five has ordered three more fast turnaround documentaries on popular culture to air before Christmas - all based around ITV stars including Ant and Dec, Cheryl Cole and the stars of I'm a Celebrity.

  • ITV Studios name factual London controller

    21-Nov-2008

    ITV Studios head of popular factual Tim Miller has been promoted to controller of factual London, replacing Will Smith.

  • Stelling new Countdown host

    21-Nov-2008

    Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling has been named as the new face of Channel 4's Countdown, alongside maths whizz Rachel Riley.

  • NUJ and Bectu slam BBC Trust rejection

    21-Nov-2008

    The National Union of Journalists says regions face a “significant decline in regional journalism” after the BBC Trust rejected plans to create a network of 65 online video news services this morning.

  • ITV detective drama may return for new series

    21-Nov-2008

    The stars of ITV's new Jack the Ripper copycat thriller Whitechapel have indicated they may be back for another series.

  • Directors UK wants share of online cash

    19-Nov-2008

    Directors UK is preparing to launch a campaign to secure for directors up to 5% of the revenue made from the online advertising surrounding their content.

  • Fremantle gears up for Original deal

    19-Nov-2008

    Fremantle Media is understood to be in advanced takeover talks with Ice Road Truckers indie Original Productions, but the affiliated Original Productions UK will not be part of the deal.

  • Commissioners at ITV to join producers at the South Bank

    19-Nov-2008

    ITV will step up its drive to get its production and commissioning teams working together more closely in the new year - by moving the latter to the South Bank.

  • Axed TalkSport DJ was 'undercover' at BNP

    19-Nov-2008

    Rod Lucas, who was dropped from TalkSport after a BNP members list was leaked on the internet, has admitted to Broadcastnow that he was a temporary member of the far-right organisation - so he could expose the party in an investigative report.

  • Downturn forces ITV to ponder drama cuts

    19-Nov-2008

    ITV chief operating officer John Cresswell has hinted that the broadcaster could scale back its drama output to focus on entertainment shows as the economic crisis deepens.

  • BBC to refund Sergeant votes

    19-Nov-2008

    The BBC will refund the money spent by viewers who have voted for John Sergeant's performance on Strictly Come Dancing to avoid any phone-in rows.

  • NUJ blasts 'hypocritical' BNP

    19-Nov-2008

    The National Union of Journalists has blasted the BNP as showing “a staggering hypocricy” by saying publication of the list breached member's privacy.

  • TalkSport DJ axed after BNP list leaked

    19-Nov-2008

    Sony award winning DJ Rod Lucas has been dropped as an occasional presenter at TalkSport hours after it was revealed that he was a member of the BNP.

  • John Sergeant quits Strictly

    19-Nov-2008

    Former ITN political editor John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing, saying he was concerned he might win.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: Daytime

    19-Nov-2008

    Daytime series coming to ITV1 over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: Entertainment

    19-Nov-2008

    New and returning entertainment shows coming to ITV1 over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: Sport

    19-Nov-2008

    Sport coming to ITV1 over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: CITV

    19-Nov-2008

    New and returning kids series coming to CITV over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: Movies

    19-Nov-2008

    New movies series coming to ITV1 over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: Factual

    19-Nov-2008

    New and returning factual series coming to ITV1 over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV1 winter/spring 09: Drama

    19-Nov-2008

    New and returning drama series coming to ITV1 over the winter/spring 09 season.

  • ITV to fight the nation's flab in obesity campaign

    18-Nov-2008

    ITV winter/spring: ITV has unveiled plans for an ambitious new anti-obesity campaign at its winter/spring season launch that will inspire Britons to get fit and healthy.

  • ITV unveils drama line-up

    18-Nov-2008

    ITV winter/spring: Stalkers, serial killers, vampires and a Prisoner all feature in a packed line-up of new drama for ITV, on the day the broadcaster indicated it may scale back its output.

  • ITV to track medics at war

    18-Nov-2008

    ITV winter/spring: The doctors and nurses treating soldiers on the front line will be featured in a new documentary.

  • ITV may scale back drama

    18-Nov-2008

    ITV chief operating officer John Cresswell has hinted that the broadcaster could scale back its drama output to focus on entertainment shows as the economic crisis deepens.

  • Fremantle to battle crunch with indie acquisitions

    18-Nov-2008

    FremantleMedia chief executive Tony Cohen is looking to acquire other independent production companies to find new international formats.

  • Ofcom may investigate Laura's X Factor eviction

    14-Nov-2008

    Ofcom is deciding if it will investigate voting procedures for ITV's X Factor after more than 43,000 people signed a petition to reinstate eliminated contestant Laura White.

  • NUJ calls off ITV regions strike ballot

    14-Nov-2008

    The National Union of Journalists has called off its strike ballot in ITV Regional news after a new voluntary redundancy deal was reached with the commercial broadcaster.

  • Brand and Ross up for comedy awards

    14-Nov-2008

    Comedian Russell Brand and presenter Jonathan Ross have each been nominated for a British Comedy Award, despite public furore over their lewd phone calls to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

  • NBC's Biggest Loser in ITV1 makeover

    12-Nov-2008

    ITV1 is reworking hit NBC format The Biggest Loser - in which severely obese people are whipped into shape by personal trainers - for the UK.

  • ITV Studios set to snap up US indies

    12-Nov-2008

    ITV managing director of global content Lee Bartlett is eyeing more US indies to bring under the new ITV Studios umbrella.

  • ITV lines up shows for multiplatform release

    12-Nov-2008

    Coronation Street, Loose Women, Emmerdale and GMTV are the priority ITV in-house brands set to receive a Britannia High-style 360-degree multi-platform makeover in the next year.

  • ITV4 picks up tennis tournament from BBC

    12-Nov-2008

    ITV4 has picked up the exclusive rights to broadcast coverage of the BlackRock Tennis Masters from IMG, taking over from the BBC.

  • Ad market recovery due to begin in 2009

    12-Nov-2008

    The TV advertising market will be down 9% this year, but that will be the “bottom of the pit” for broadcasters before a recovery begins in 2009, according to Steve King, the worldwide chief operating officer of Zenith Optimedia.

  • Julie Walters honoured by WFTV

    12-Nov-2008

    Golden Globe and Bafta winning actress Julie Walters has been given the Women in Film and Television's highest accolade - a lifetime achievement award.

  • UTV petitioned to halt job cuts

    11-Nov-2008

    The leaders of all the major political parties in Northern Ireland have united to implore northern Irish broadcaster UTV to halt its plans to cut 35 jobs from the service.

  • itv.com unveils senior team

    11-Nov-2008

    itv.com has unveiled its new senior staff line up that will aim to integrate the website with the commercial broadcaster's family of channels.

  • Duncan: BBC must open up to PSB debate

    10-Nov-2008

    Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has criticised the BBC's “defensive attitude” to PSB, saying the broadcaster suffers from holding an “empire” attitude.

  • Highfield quits Project Kangaroo

    10-Nov-2008

    Project Kangaroo chief executive Ashley Highfield is to leave the yet-to-launch VoD joint venture to join Microsoft.

  • Carter reveals Digital Britain experts

    7-Nov-2008

    New communications, technology and broadcasting minister Stephen Carter has announced the panel of experts that will help him develop the blueprint for Britain's digital future.

  • Stanley Baxter to return for Christmas special

    7-Nov-2008

    Comedy veteran Stanley Baxter will come out of retirement for the first time in a decade to give a special one off performance for ITV1 this Christmas.

  • Compulsory redundancies prompt ITV strike threat

    5-Nov-2008

    More than 200 ITV regional news staff face compulsory redundancy before Christmas after the window closed for journalists to leave their jobs voluntarily.

  • ITVP rebrands in push for global sales

    5-Nov-2008

    ITV Productions is to be renamed ITV Studios as part of a radical restructure designed to emulate the scale and innovation of US studios such as Fox and Universal.

  • Tennant plans comedy and glossy factual for ITV3

    5-Nov-2008

    ITV3 controller Emma Tennant is looking to expand her channel remit to include formatted factual programming and comedy.

  • Five calls for topical docs for peak slot

    5-Nov-2008

    Five plans to put fast-turnaround topical documentaries into midweek primetime under Dawn Airey, kicking off with programmes covering Madonna's divorce and the Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand phone scandal.

  • Interview: Emma Tennant

    5-Nov-2008

    Emma Tennant has made ITV3 the second most popular digital channel in the UK. Now she intends to restore the fortunes of CITV.

  • ER may have to sell crown jewel brands

    5-Nov-2008

    Entertainment Rights, the owner of Postman Pat and Rupert Bear, has warned it may have to sell off key characters to stay afloat and that job losses are “inevitable”.

  • Reinstate Brand and Ross says Satanic Slut

    4-Nov-2008

    Georgina Baillie has declared that Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand should be reinstated by the BBC, despite public furore over their prank phone calls to her grandfather Andrew Sachs last week.

  • NUJ edges closer to ITV strike

    4-Nov-2008

    The NUJ will ballot its members next week to decide if it will strike against ITV's plans to condense its regional newsrooms and shed 429 jobs.

  • Mark Wells to quit ITVP

    4-Nov-2008

    Mark Wells, creative director of international formats and independent start ups at ITV Productions, will step down in December to return to hands-on production.

  • ITV Local launches Royal channel

    4-Nov-2008

    A new Royal channel has been set up on itvlocal.com to showcase more than 100 hours of archived royal family footage.

  • Brown to leave RadioCentre

    3-Nov-2008

    Paul Brown will step down as non-executive chairman of RadioCentre in December after more than 30 years in the commercial radio business.

  • Fans rally behind Ross and Brand

    31-Oct-2008

    Fans of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross across the UK are rallying to have the pair reinstated at the BBC.

  • Five to air doc on Russell and Ross

    31-Oct-2008

    Five will air an hour-long documentary on Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross' spectacular fall from grace next Wednesday at 10pm.

  • UTV's Michael Wilson hits back at Bectu

    31-Oct-2008

    UTV managing director Michael Wilson has rejected Bectu's claims that the Northern Irish ITV franchise holder is failing to negotiate over plans to make 28 redundancies in its news division, calling the union's campaign against the company “disingenuous”.

  • Bectu attacks UTV over redundancies

    31-Oct-2008

    Media and entertainment union Bectu has launched a public attack on Northern Irish ITV franchise holder UTV, claiming the broadcaster is failing to negotiate over its plans to make 28 redundancies.

  • Ross pulls out of Comedy Awards

    31-Oct-2008

    Jonathan Ross is to step down from hosting the 2008 British Comedy Awards following the 'Sachsgate' affair.

  • Lesley Douglas: a BBC timeline

    30-Oct-2008

    The career of Lesley Douglas whilst at the BBC.

  • McDonald steps down from News at Ten

    30-Oct-2008

    Trevor McDonald has confirmed he is to step down from his role as co-presenter of ITV's News at Ten in late November.

  • Robson Green develops escort tale for ITV1

    29-Oct-2008

    Wire in the Blood star Robson Green will play a male escort in a one-off drama being developed for ITV1 next year.

  • Auf Wiedersehen for ITV4

    29-Oct-2008

    ITV4 has bought classic comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and will launch a plus-one channel on Sky and Freesat by the year's end.

  • ITV Productions pursues Jackson

    29-Oct-2008

    ITV's outgoing director of entertainment and comedy, Paul Jackson, is being wooed by ITV Productions, which hopes to secure him when he leaves his current role.

  • More Trial and Retribution

    29-Oct-2008

    St Trinian's actress Tamsin Egerton will star in one of three new instalments of Lynda La Plante's Trial and Retribution when it returns to ITV1 early next year.

  • Orient Express remake bound for ITV1

    29-Oct-2008

    A new version of Murder on the Orient Express is bound for ITV1 as part of a commission of eight Agatha Christie adaptations from Chorion.

  • Dyke: BBC governors were ‘useless bastards'

    29-Oct-2008

    Former BBC director general Greg Dyke has launched his most outspoken attack on the BBC governors who ousted him during the Hutton inquiry, calling them “hopeless, useless bastards”.

  • Blakeway North gains 30 Stone sequel

    29-Oct-2008

    Manchester-based Blakeway North is celebrating four new commissions following the appointment of executive producer Sarah Murch earlier this year, including a follow-up to the successful documentary Lose 30 Stone or Die for ITV1.

  • C4 stand by their Brand

    29-Oct-2008

    Channel 4 will stand by comedian Russell Brand, despite the BBC suspending him over the furore surrounding his prank phone calls to Andrew Sachs with presenter Jonathan Ross.

  • Nuts TV dropped from Freeview

    28-Oct-2008

    Nuts TV will be replaced on Freeview by news channel CNN International after it was axed from TV to become a broadband-only service.

  • NUJ rejects ITV redundancy package

    28-Oct-2008

    NUJ members have rejected the voluntary redundancy package that ITV is offering to employees in regional newsrooms.

  • NUJ close to ITV regions decision

    27-Oct-2008

    The National Union of Journalists is hours away from deciding if it will go into dispute with ITV over the proposed cuts to the broadcaster's regional news staff.

  • ITN launches quirky clip business

    27-Oct-2008

    ITN Source has created a digital production business to monetise quirky archive content by packaging it for Myspace, YouTube and MSN.

  • Five reels in more Extreme Fishing

    24-Oct-2008

    Robson Green will undergo SAS cold training before spending five days in the Artic in the second installment of his Five format Extreme Fishing.

  • Extreme Sports Channel launches new website

    24-Oct-2008

    Extreme Sports Channel has re-launched its website with a host of new skate, surf and bike features, photos and videos.

  • Vaizey supports ITV regional news plan

    22-Oct-2008

    Shadow culture minister Ed Vaizey has backed ITV's withdrawal from regional news, and cautioned MPs who have criticised the commercial broadcaster's plans.

  • ITV lines up duo for Christmas

    22-Oct-2008

    Alan Titchmarsh will reunite families and Aled Jones is to explore the most popular carols as part of ITV1's Christmas line-up.

  • Fremantle to launch Britain's Got Talent pants

    22-Oct-2008

    Fremantle Media and Simon Cowell's Simco are planning to launch a Britain's Got Talent clothing line in 2010.

  • Duncan joins Grade in attack on Google

    22-Oct-2008

    Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has joined Michael Grade in attacking Google, branding its failure to invest in UK content creation unfair.

  • Fincham: put your money in ITV

    22-Oct-2008

    ITV director of television Peter Fincham has told 130 of London's top media agency executives that ITV is the place to spend their money in 2009.

  • Jamie Oliver signs C4 golden handcuffs deal

    22-Oct-2008

    Television chef Jamie Oliver has signed a lucrative golden handcuffs deal with Channel 4, tying him to the channel for a further two years.

  • Brosnan given license to thrill at Diverse

    21-Oct-2008

    Katie Brosnan has joined indie Diverse Bristol as executive producer, to boost the company's output of factual entertainment and features.

  • Stick with regional quota, MPs tell ITV

    20-Oct-2008

    Forty MPs from across the UK are demanding that ITV commits to spending 50% of its network programming budget outside of London.

  • Corrie death proves online hit

    20-Oct-2008

    ITV plans to create more online spin-off content after its three versions of Coronation Street character Liam Connor's death were viewed more than 650,000 times last weekend.

  • Stadlen moves to Pulse Films

    20-Oct-2008

    Multiplatform producer Pulse Films has appointed Amaze TV head of development Jonathan Stadlen as creative director of its TV division.

  • Rock Hammer ends three-year Ten Alps deal

    15-Oct-2008

    East Midlands-based indie Rock Hammer has broken away from Ten Alps after its three-year production deal with the super-indie ended.

  • Krypton deal prompts ITV to focus on AFP

    15-Oct-2008

    ITV is looking to step up its advertiser-funded programming after sealing its biggest AFP deal yet to help revive The Krypton Factor quiz show next year.

  • Jobs to go at UTV

    15-Oct-2008

    Northern Irish ITV franchise UTV is to cut up to 28 positions from its TV division and will axe its Insight, Late and Live and UTV Life news and current affairs programmes by March next year.

  • The bad news at ITV regions

    14-Oct-2008

    ITV is making deep cuts to regional news. Kate McMahon reports on what the changes will mean.

  • ITV to mark Torvill and Dean anniversary

    14-Oct-2008

    ITV1 has commissioned a one-off documentary on ice legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their infamous Bolero routine at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics.

  • Beat the Star to return

    13-Oct-2008

    MIPCOM: ITV1 have ordered a second series of the Vernon Kay-fronted gameshow Beat the Star from indies Diverse and Gallowgate.

  • ITV to close Granada Factual North

    13-Oct-2008

    ITV is to close Granada Factual North, the production team behind Martin Clunes: A Man and His Dogs, resulting in 26 redundancies.

  • ITV seals huge Krypton Factor AFP deal

    13-Oct-2008

    ITV1's revival of The Krypton Factor will be fully funded by software and services provider Sage in the broadcaster's biggest advertiser funded programme deal to date.

  • ITV Global acquires medical drama

    13-Oct-2008

    MIPCOM: ITV Global Entertainment has picked up the worldwide distribution rights to a Canadian drama series that follows the lives of four troubled young doctors.

  • Grade demands end to ITV indie quota

    8-Oct-2008

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has branded its 25% indie quota an “utter nonsense” and demanded it be scrapped.

  • RTS Speech: Grade throws down PSB guantlet

    8-Oct-2008

    ITV has thrown down the gauntlet to Ofcom - either ease its regulatory burden or risk losing it as a public service broadcaster.

  • Tarrant signs for ITV1 cash quiz

    8-Oct-2008

    ITV director of television Peter Fincham has secured Chris Tarrant to host 12 Yard's ITV1 gameshow The Colour of Money.

  • Cumbria seeks funds for TV news station

    8-Oct-2008

    Cumbrian locals are rallying to create their own ultra local news service to replace the soon to be merged ITV Border Lookaround programme, following an ambitious proposal from a local MP.

  • Discovery to delve into desserts

    8-Oct-2008

    The world's most delicious desserts will be featured in a new 10-part advertiser-funded series for Discovery Network Europe.

  • Grade: Scrap the indie quota

    8-Oct-2008

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has branded its 25% indie quota an “utter nonsense” and demanded it be scrapped.

  • ITV reshuffles senior commercial team

    7-Oct-2008

    ITV has unveiled the senior commercial team it hopes will steer the company through the ongoing advertising slump.

  • ITV1 orders thriller from Harries

    7-Oct-2008

    Mission Impossible II actor Dougray Scott will lead an all-star cast in a “sophisticated thriller” set against the backdrop of Ireland's economic resurgance for ITV1.

  • Kangaroo deadline extended

    3-Oct-2008

    The competition commission has set a new deadline for deciding the fate of Project Kangaroo - 8 February next year.

  • Daisies to return to ITV1

    3-Oct-2008

    ITV has acquired the second series of Pushing Daisies and further instalments of Gossip Girl and Dexter.

  • ITV/NUJ talks continue

    3-Oct-2008

    Representatives from ITV, the National Union of Journalists and BECTU have vowed to continue talks after no conclusions were reached at yesterday's meeting.

  • ITV4 on look-out for UK's Ax Men

    1-Oct-2008

    ITV4 controller Dave Fewings is scouting for Britain's answer to Ax Men as part of his commissioning wish list for the channel.

  • Five revives Going for Gold with 50-episode order

    1-Oct-2008

    Five is to revive classic 1990s quiz show Going for Gold - but has ditched the European contestants.

  • ITV regions attack ‘the enemy within'

    1-Oct-2008

    Furious ITV regional news staff have rounded on their employer after it announced plans to slash 429 jobs from the division, claiming they and their viewers have been “steamrollered” by the commercial broadcaster.

  • Corrie's alternative murders to air online

    1-Oct-2008

    ITV.com will release two alternative versions of how Coronation Street love rat Liam Connor dies later this month, as part of the broadcaster's enhanced commitment to 360-degree content.

  • Cosgrove Hall boss quits

    1-Oct-2008

    Cosgrove Hall Films managing director Anthony Utley has resigned to pursue “a new challenge”.

  • ITV1 to chart singing priests' rise to fame

    1-Oct-2008

    Three singing priests from rural Northern Ireland who landed a£1m recording contract with Sony BMG will star in a one-off documentary for ITV1 in the run-up to Christmas.

  • BBC2 to examine 80 faiths

    1-Oct-2008

    Part-time Anglican vicar Peter Owen Jones is to explore 80 of the world's faiths in a major new religious series for BBC2.

  • ITV aquires German indie

    30-Sep-2008

    ITV-owned Granada Germany has acquired a majority stake in the Berlin-based indie Imago as part of its global expansion strategy.

  • NUJ: Industrial action at ITV is inevitable

    30-Sep-2008

    The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has declared it will lead the fight against ITV's plans to cut 430 jobs from regional news rooms and strikes are now “inevitable”.

  • ITV regional news guaranteed until 2012

    30-Sep-2008

    ITV has guaranteed the provision of its regional news until “at least 2012” - despite announcing that 430 jobs would be cut from its services this morning.

  • ITV to axe 1,000 jobs by February

    30-Sep-2008

    ITV plans to have slashed 1,000 jobs by February next year, nearly 20% of its workforce. This includes 430 jobs across its news services - 40% of regional news staff.

  • ITN boss quits

    29-Sep-2008

    Mark Wood, chief executive of ITN, is to step down from the news broadcaster early next year to “pursue opportunities outside the company”.

  • Brook Lapping hires Dangerous producer

    26-Sep-2008

    Ten Alps owned indie Brook Lapping has appointed Kate Botting as its new executive producer, replacing Phil Craig.

  • Fincham buys ITV shares

    25-Sep-2008

    ITV director of television Peter Fincham has bought up 350,000 shares in ITV plc - his first stake in the company.

  • BBC could follow ITV out of regions, warns NUJ

    25-Sep-2008

    The NUJ has warned that ITV's plans to scale back its regional news output could clear the way for the BBC to follow suit.

  • ITV share price soars

    25-Sep-2008

    ITV's share price soared more that 8% this morning, after Ofcom's revealed it would back reductions in the commercial broadcaster's PSB commitments.

  • ITV poised to bring back The Krypton Factor

    24-Sep-2008

    ITV is on the brink of reviving “television's toughest quiz show”, The Krypton Factor, after 13 years. It is understood the commercial broadcaster is close to ordering a new series of the show from ITV Productions within weeks.

  • ITV in£100k boost for regionals

    24-Sep-2008

    ITV has handed more than£100,000 in development deals to three regional indies - just as it gears up to have much of its regional news obligations relaxed.

  • TV producers should ‘ape movie industry'

    24-Sep-2008

    TV producers will have to ape the piecemeal funding model of the film industry in order to survive, Ingenious Media founder and chief executive Patrick McKenna has warned.

  • No Place Like Home moves to ITV daytime

    24-Sep-2008

    ITV is resurrecting one of its most successful peaktime factual shows from last year as a stripped daytime format.

  • ITV exec quits to take top role at All3Media

    24-Sep-2008

    Jane Turton, director of rights and business affairs for ITV, has resigned to take up the position of deputy chief operating officer and director of business development and business affairs of All3Media.

  • Britannia High to air final episode live

    24-Sep-2008

    ITV's new teen musical drama Britannia High will climax with a 75 minute live-to-air spectacular, emulating the fictional performing arts school's end of year concert.

  • Blog: Britannia High ep. 1

    24-Sep-2008

    The first episode of ITV1's teen musical drama Britannia High may have been cheesier than a Brie factory, but Kate McMahon absolutely loved it.

  • Ten Alps racing to finish C4 credit crunch doc

    22-Sep-2008

    Ten Alps owned indie Blakeway Productions is in a race against time to finish a quick turnaround documentary for tonight's Channel 4's Dispatches.

  • Video: ITV1's Britannia High

    21-Sep-2008

    Two of the leading architects behind ITV1's forthcoming teen musical drama Britannia High have spoken to Broadcastnow about what multiplatform offerings will be available to viewers.

  • Commissioners wishlist

    21-Sep-2008

    Comedy commissioners from the top three broadcasters have revealed what they are looking for next.

  • ITV strikes football deal with Setanta

    19-Sep-2008

    England supporters will be able to follow their teams' away performance in the World Cup qualifiers for free, after ITV struck a deal with rights holder Setanta last night.

  • ITV1 to revisit Aspel's WW2 childhood

    18-Sep-2008

    Michael Aspel will be reunited with friends he met as a World War II evacuee in a daytime show for ITV1.

  • ITV hails Britannia High as 360 landmark

    17-Sep-2008

    ITV has heralded a new era of 360-degree commissioning as it gears up to launch a ground-breaking array of multiplatform content around teen musical drama Britannia High.

  • ITV to revive C4's classic Graham Taylor football doc

    17-Sep-2008

    ITV is to air an extended version of the landmark Graham Taylor documentary that went out 14 years ago on Channel 4 and has ordered a new film featuring the former England manager.

  • Krempelwood delivers AFP deals in first week

    17-Sep-2008

    Advertiser-funded programming (AFP) and sponsorship start-up Krempelwood has sealed deals to deliver sponsors for up-coming shows from Sony Pictures Television International, BBC Worldwide, Universal Music and UKTV.

  • Wolffe joins ITV

    17-Sep-2008

    Beam TV's managing director David Wolffe has left after eight months to take up the newly created post of finance director of ITV Global Content.

  • Timeline: Paul Jackson

    16-Sep-2008

    The career of Paul Jackson, from joining the BBC as a runner in 1971 to exiting one of the top roles at ITV in 2008 and joining Eyeworks in 2009.

  • Paul Jackson: Hits and misses

    16-Sep-2008

    During his time at ITV, Paul Jackson presided over a selection of hits as well as several flops. Here, Broadcast shines a spotlight on the highlights and lowlights of Jackson's time at ITV.

  • David Jason to quit Frost role

    16-Sep-2008

    Detective Inspector Jack Frost is set to hang up his hat next year in a two-part finale to the long-running ITV drama series.

  • Ofcom unveils minorities report

    15-Sep-2008

    Ethnic minorities are more likely to be interested in interactive TV but are increasingly concerned about programmes they deem unsuitable, according to new findings by Ofcom.

  • Setanta strikes highlights deal with ITV

    11-Sep-2008

    ITV1 will broadcast England's 4-1 victory in the over Croatia tonight, after signing a belated deal with Setanta.

  • Animal actors to star on Five

    11-Sep-2008

    Leopard Films will reveal how trainers got Wellard the dog to bite Ian Beale's bum in EastEnders in a series about animal actors for Five, writes Kate McMahon.

  • PM will turn to kids for advice in BBC Election series

    11-Sep-2008

    The winner of a new BBC kids series will give Gordon Brown advice on how to improve Britain.

  • Ten Alps to launch science site

    10-Sep-2008

    Ten Alps-owned indie Brook Lapping is to launch a global online science channel in conjunction with the Science Museum and the Royal Institution.

  • CITV: we want indies' ideas

    10-Sep-2008

    CITV controller Emma Tennant has revealed that the channel once more “has money to spend” and is actively looking for original formats.

  • ITV3 revisits TV's classic costume drama

    10-Sep-2008

    ITV3 will look at the changing face of costume drama this autumn as part of a push for more peak factual programming on the digital channel.

  • ITV1 seeks fact ent pitches for 9pm slot

    10-Sep-2008

    ITV controller of alternative programming Layla Smith has asked indies to offer up ideas for a new factual entertainment show for ITV1 - but has warned she is not looking for “the next Apprentice”.

  • Law & Order:UK lands top writing talent

    10-Sep-2008

    Law & Order:UK showrunner Chris Chibnall has unveiled the writing team that will pen the “gritty” British version of the show for ITV1.

  • Walsh to keep Law & Order for ITV1

    8-Sep-2008

    Bradley Walsh and Freema Agyeman are among the high profile ensemble cast for ITV's UK adaptation of US series Law & Order.

  • ITV share price rallies

    8-Sep-2008

    ITV's share price soared by more than 5% this morning after renewed speculation of a takeover bid, despite latest research showing that the commercial broadcaster will tomorrow drop out of the FTSE 100.

  • Setanta wins World Cup qualifier rights

    5-Sep-2008

    Setanta has secured to the rights to broadcast the final England World Cup 2010 away qualifier match next year, but has confirmed that fans wanting to watch this weekend's clash against Andorra will most likely be unable to watch highlights on terrestrial television.

  • Behind the News: ‘Nursery slope' channels

    4-Sep-2008

    BBC1 is able to draw on BBC2, BBC3 and radio for hit shows, while Channel 4 uses dedicated new talent slots. So what can ITV do to nurture new shows?

  • British Gas to fund eco series for CITV

    3-Sep-2008

    British Gas has partially funded an environmentally conscious series of shorts for CITV.

  • ITV doc marks WWI's 90th anniversary

    3-Sep-2008

    War journalist Martin Bell, poet laureate Andrew Motion and historian Richard Holmes will celebrate the power of words during wartime in an ITV1 documentary for Remembrance Day.

  • Behind the news: ‘nursery slope' channels

    3-Sep-2008

    BBC1 is able to draw on BBC2, BBC3 and radio for hit shows, while Channel 4 uses dedicated new talent slots. So what can ITV do to nurture new shows?

  • Kangaroo: we won't stifle competition

    3-Sep-2008

    Project Kangaroo has insisted it will not prove anti-competitive and that it would account for around 21% of the nascent VoD market for paid-for broadcast content.

  • ITV3 buys cop drama Flashpoint

    3-Sep-2008

    ITV3 has acquired gritty new cop drama Flashpoint, which has proved a surprise hit over the summer in the US.

  • BBC1 lines-up choir drama

    3-Sep-2008

    Oliver Twist actress Sarah Lancashire will star alongside Bridget Jones' Neil Pearson and Stardust's Sarah Alexander in a new, musical drama series for BBC1.

  • NME Radio kicks off multiplatform push

    2-Sep-2008

    IPC will kick off a series of multiplatform content initiatives by hosting a series of NME Radio music sessions in a new studio in its South Bank headquarters.

  • Bedell handed Edinbugh role

    1-Sep-2008

    Elaine Bedell, controller of BBC entertainment commissioning, has been named the new advisory chair of the Edinburgh TV festival.

  • Bertelsmann eyes Euro broadcasters

    29-Aug-2008

    Bertelsmann is on the look out to acquire European broadcasters, fuelling speculation it could prepare a bid for ITV.

  • ITV creates channel liaison role

    29-Aug-2008

    ITV3 planning and strategy head Adam Collings has been promoted to a new position of ITV channels executive.

  • ITVP appoints new daytime controller

    28-Aug-2008

    ITV has appointed Fiona Kennaghan as controller of daytime and lifestyle features, replacing Dianne Nelmes.

  • SMG to review price of ITV content

    28-Aug-2008

    SMG has confirmed it will appoint an independent consultancy to establish how much it should pay for ITV programming in its interim report.

  • ITV desperate for comedy nursery

    28-Aug-2008

    ITV bosses are wrestling with how they can create a nursery slope for ITV1 where it can break new comedies and dramas.

  • Video: Reaction to Peter Fincham's MacTaggart

    28-Aug-2008

    GMTV presenter Kate Garraway, Wall to Wall boss Alex Graham and John Whittingdale MP give their reaction to Peter Fincham's MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV festival.

  • Discovery US plans closure of UK branch

    27-Aug-2008

    Discovery US has announced it is planning to close its UK office following a 30-day consultation with staff.

  • Medieval kids gameshow ordered by S4C

    27-Aug-2008

    A new children's adventure gameshow inspired by the legend of King Arthur has been commissioned by Welsh-language channel S4C.

  • Share the licence fee, say pay-TV viewers

    27-Aug-2008

    Two in every three pay-TV viewers believe part of the television licence fee should go to broadcasters other than the BBC, according to research commissioned by Discovery Networks UK.

  • UTV suffers 15% drop in profits

    26-Aug-2008

    UTV Media chief executive John McCann has blamed ITV and the economic slump for his company recording a 15% drop in television operating profits in the first six months of this year.

  • ITV2 may become a nursery for ITV1

    24-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: ITV2 controller Zai Bennett has outlined his ambitions to use ITV2 as a feeding ground for ITV1.

  • ITV1 hunting drama for 9pm

    23-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: Peter Fincham has outlined his plan to reinvigorate the schedule of ITV1, starting with finding hit dramas to fill the 9pm slot and expanding the channel's factual programming.

  • Fincham relieves indie commissioning fears

    23-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: The door at ITV is ‘absolutely wide open' for business with indies, according to ITV's director of television, Peter Fincham.

  • Sharon Osbourne issues 'extreme reality' warning

    22-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has warned that reality shows are becoming increasingly extreme and viewers could next be watching someone 'in the electric chair.'

  • BBC and ITV call for more studio-based sitcoms

    22-Aug-2008

    Edinburgh 08: Senior comedy commissioners from the BBC and ITV have put out a call for more studio-based sitcoms.

  • ITV1 orders ‘Las Vegas-style' daytime show

    21-Aug-2008

    Bradley Walsh will preside over a giant Las Vegas-style slot machine in an afternoon quiz show that will be stripped across ITV1 weekdays.

  • Variety is antidote to credit crunch, says Cooper

    20-Aug-2008

    ITV controller of entertainment John Kaye Cooper has revealed that he is bringing back the weekend variety format to combat economic doom and gloom.

  • ITV Play trumpets online Bingo success

    20-Aug-2008

    ITV Play commissioner William van Rest has heralded a new era in the commercial broadcaster's gaming fortunes, with up to 60,000 people downloading numbers each day to take part in its new late-night programming block, Bingo Night Live.

  • Paris Hilton leads ITV2's autumn

    20-Aug-2008

    Socialite Paris Hilton is to search for a new British best mate as part of ITV2's celebrity-packed autumn schedule.

  • ITV2 autumn 08: Comedy

    20-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming new comedy programming on ITV2 this autumn.

  • ITV2 autumn 08: Entertainment

    20-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming new entertainment programming on ITV2 this autumn.

  • ITV2 autumn 08: Drama

    20-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming new drama programming on ITV2 this autumn.

  • ITV2's CelebAir cast revealed

    20-Aug-2008

    ITV2 have unveiled a host of well known faces set to star in its new reality celebrity programme, CelebAir.

  • ITV2 unveils new look

    20-Aug-2008

    ITV2 has revealed a refresh of its on-screen look to coincide with the launch of its autumn schedule and controller Zai Bennett spoke to Broadcastnow about the change.

  • Video: Zai Bennett on ITV2's new look

    20-Aug-2008

    ITV2 controller Zai Bennett speaks to Broadcast about refreshing the look of the channel and a promo packed with stars for the new autumn season.

  • ITV1 to expose scammers

    15-Aug-2008

    Journalist Morland Sanders will profile some of the biggest insurance swindles ever exposed in the UK as part of a new three-part series for ITV1.

  • Rhys Jones to front revived It'll Be Alright on the Night

    14-Aug-2008

    ITV is resurrecting hit blooper show It'll Be Alright on the Night - and has called on indies to send in their out-takes.

  • Oldman's soccer skills to sell ITV

    14-Aug-2008

    ITV has convinced Hollywood star Gary Oldman to show off his football skills for an on-air campaign promoting its football coverage across TV, online and mobile.

  • Irvine Welsh to make ITV4 darts comedy

    13-Aug-2008

    Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh is set to direct ITV4's first original comedy commission, about a darts player who loses his nerve after suffering a heart attack.

  • Uhlenbroek to live with monkeys for Five

    13-Aug-2008

    Charlotte Uhlenbroek aims to convince mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans that she is one of them in a show for Five.

  • Talkback hands Jamelia ‘dance and dating' show

    13-Aug-2008

    Talkback Thames has lined up pop star Jamelia to host a pilot of a Strictly Come Dancing-meets-Blind Date format.

  • Distributor Debmar gets into Hot Seat

    13-Aug-2008

    Newcastle-based indie Standing Stone Productions has sold the rights to new reality gameshow format Hot Seat to worldwide distribution company Debmar-Mercury.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Factual

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming factual programming on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Children

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming programming for children on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Movies

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming movies on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Daytime

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming daytime programming on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Drama

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming drama programming on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Sport

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming sport programming on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Entertainment

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming entertainment programming on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 autumn '08: Events

    13-Aug-2008

    Overview of forthcoming events programming on ITV1 this autumn.

  • ITV1 calls for Total Emergency

    13-Aug-2008

    Sheffield's police, fire and ambulance crews will be the focus of a six-part series for ITV1 as part of the broadcasters factual output this autumn.

  • Variety show leads ITV1 autumn line-up

    13-Aug-2008

    A modern day variety show will be the centrepiece of the entertainment line-up on ITV1 this autumn.

  • Time to tear up the terms?

    12-Aug-2008

    With Michael Grade calling for the terms of trade to be scrapped in favour of a free programming market, Kate McMahon looks at the potential implications.

  • ITV makes Haste board member

    12-Aug-2008

    Group chief executive of RSA Insurance Group, Andy Haste, has been appointed a non-executive director of ITV plc's nomination committee.

  • ITV Local to stream FA Cup

    11-Aug-2008

    ITV Local will move into sports broadcasting this week - by streaming an FA Cup clash between minnows Wantage Town and Brading Town.

  • Kangaroo suffers further delay

    8-Aug-2008

    VoD joint venture Project Kangaroo has been dealt another setback, with the Competition Commission (CC) extending the deadline for its investigation until early next year.

  • Goldhawk Media launches childbirth channel

    8-Aug-2008

    The indie that made ITV's Special Babies has launched an ad-funded internet television channel that it will use to launch most of its new programmes.

  • ITV4 bolsters sports coverage as Fewings lands promotion

    6-Aug-2008

    ITV4 channel editor Dave Fewings has been appointed as the channel's controller and has made a slew of sports commissions, with the focus on cycling, darts and -football.

  • New Marple cast unveiled

    5-Aug-2008

    Rik Mayall and Skins star Hannah Murray are among the famous faces lined up to appear in the next Agatha Christie's Marple series.

  • ITV orders Welsh millionaires series

    5-Aug-2008

    Wales' top millionaires are baring all for a new ITV series that will get under the skin of the country's richest people.

  • ITV reorders National Movie Awards

    4-Aug-2008

    ITV is rolling out the red carpet again for coverage of the second National Movie Awards in September.

  • ITV expected to cut more costs

    4-Aug-2008

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade is expected to unveil a fresh round of cost cutting, which could result include wide-ranging redundancies, when announcing half-year results later this week.

  • BBC online entertainment set for TV switch

    31-Jul-2008

    A daily entertainment magazine-style show for the BBC Switch website is poised to make the leap to the teen-oriented strand's BBC2 slot.

  • Bennett lines up ITV2 celebrity panel show

    31-Jul-2008

    Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby are set to be the team captains in an ITV2 panel show being pitched as “Have I Got News for You meets Heat magazine”.

  • Freesat hires Fairbairn as chairman

    31-Jul-2008

    Free-to-air digital satellite TV service Freesat has appointed ITV director of group development and strategy Carolyn Fairbairn as its new chairman.

  • BBC3 goes after Summer Heights prequel series

    31-Jul-2008

    BBC3 is in talks to acquire the prequel to Australian mockumentary Summer Heights High.

  • C4 and Five to carry more breaks in films

    30-Jul-2008

    Channel 4 and Five will introduce an extra ad break in most films from 1 September, potentially generating up to tens of thousands of pounds in extra revenue per movie.

  • Clunes to island-hop Britain for ITV1 show

    30-Jul-2008

    ITV1 is sending Martin Clunes on a sailing tour of Britain's islands in a major primetime series.

  • ITV boosts online content by 60%

    30-Jul-2008

    ITV has secured a deal with producers that will boost its online content by 60% with classic series including Heartbeat, Poirot and On the Buses.

  • Loose Women creator quits ITVP

    30-Jul-2008

    ITV Production's director of daytime and lifestyle programming Dianne Nelmes is leaving the company to pursue 'a new challenge'.

  • ITV2 set for a refresh

    30-Jul-2008

    ITV2 is getting a makeover, with a new logo and interstitials and a celebrity talent campaign to help drive ratings.

  • Surf's up on C4

    29-Jul-2008

    Channel 4 has ordered a one-off special on women's surfing from Welsh indie Boomerang+.

  • ITV1 pilots Fix It-style show from Gallowgate

    24-Jul-2008

    ITV is to turn Amanda Holden into a modern-day Jimmy Savile with a fix it-style format from Ant and Dec's indie Gallowgate Productions.

  • ITV to air doc on jailed canoe couple

    23-Jul-2008

    A documentary about the double life of ‘canoe man' John Darwin will air on ITV1 next week, following news that he and his wife are to be jailed for fraud.

  • Setanta ‘risks takeover' unless it adds more subs

    23-Jul-2008

    Setanta must pile on an extra 300,000 subscriptions this autumn or it will be at risk of a takeover bid next year, according to a report from Enders Analysis.

  • ITVP partners with BreakThru

    23-Jul-2008

    ITV Productions has entered into a new strategic partnership with the indie behind Oscar-winning animation Peter and the Wolf.

  • NI celebs recount Troubles for ITV1

    16-Jul-2008

    Actor James Nesbitt and comedian Patrick Kielty will talk about growing up amid the sectarian violence of the Northern Ireland Troubles in a 60-minute documentary for ITV1.

  • Dawn Steele joins Fourth series of Wild at Heart

    16-Jul-2008

    Monarch of the Glen actress Dawn Steele has been named as the new female lead when Sunday night ITV1 drama Wild at Heart returns for its fourth series.

  • ITV2 tunes into radio sitcom

    16-Jul-2008

    ITV Productions is making a Peep Show-meets-The Office comedy series for ITV2.

  • Lawson reveals global ambitions for Virgin Radio

    15-Jul-2008

    TIML's new brand director Chris Lawson has vowed to turn Virgin Radio into a 'formidable' global multi-platform force.

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