Institutional Context: ITV
In this post, I will be exploring one of two different broadcasters we have been given. I have decided to use ITV as my broadcaster of choice, and in the following post on the Institutional context of Channel 5, I will explain why.
Our selection in regards to ITV is open to all of ITV's channels. This broadens the range of choice for channel to ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and ITVBe.
On their website, ITV describes itself as "an integrated producer broadcaster, which creates, owns and distributes high-quality content on multiple platforms globally". They also claim to be Britain's largest family of commercial channels.
All the channels have roughly different audiences and aims, broadcasting a wide variety of content, which their commissioning website roughly elaborates on.
Below is a list of the channels and what they are each described as on their Commissioning page.
ITV1 "is the home of high quality, popular television from the biggest entertainment events, to original drama, soaps, sport, factual series and independent news, both national, and regional."
ITV2 is "ITV's entertainment channel for young people, with a range of shows including original scripted comedies and panel shows, American acquisitions, and movies."
ITV3 is "a home for popular classic drama series from ITV, alongside a selection of choice factual and entertainment programmes."
ITV4 is "great escapism with a mixture of live sport, iconic movies, US acquired shows and cult classics."
ITVBe is "lifestyle and entertainment programming from the UK and US, featuring real lives, and real people."
From the information given here, we can tell that ITV aims to be a mainstream channel, catering to as broad an audience as possible, which includes our projects target age group, the millennials. I have also sourced some more information from ITV's About page.
According to ITV's market research, "the global content market is growing at around 5% per annum, with some genres such as drama rising faster than others". This means that they are more likely to focus on spending money on genres that will give more returns and achieve more popularity.
Another important thing to note that their research touches on is that "linear television viewing" (ordinary broadcast TV), while still the dominant method of consuming TV content "for most demographics", is being heavily pressured by newer, online players like Netflix and Amazon. This means that they are more likely to experiment with and possibly be more accepting of content that is not typically traditional TV. It also shows that they are threat from a diminishing younger, millennial audience, which makes up a large part of Netflix's viewership.
The USA is listed as the largest market for content, but the UK is at number 2. ITV points out the fact that "within the UK, there is stronger demand and higher viewing figures for UK content over imported content". This means that producing UK focused content is more likely to fit within their framework for content.
Since I plan to do a drama genre (or something similar) production for my project, I decided to go deeper into the Commissioning pages for ITV Drama.
Their output aims in regards to drama are "to have variety and depth", and they make "series, serials and single films for broad, mainstream audiences". A few Dramas they seem to be particularly proud of include "Broadchurch", "Downton Abbey" and "The Lost Honour". Long running shows like Emmerdale and Coronation Street are described as the "bedrock" of their weekly schedule.
The requirements for their dramas is to "deliver the highest quality popular mainstream drama to the largest audience". They say that no subjects are off limits, but that they will "always look for mainstream appeal and an accessible way in for our audience". They are keen to bring new experiences to audiences, but never to alienate them. They say specifically that "an ITV drama is never cynical and is always entertaining".
I also thought it was interesting that they also seem to be pushing to have content for ITV2 which can overlap with ITV1. They say that "in a concerted strategy to make ITV2 a fully rounded entertainment channel, we are now actively commissioning scripted comedy and drama".
This brings up the question of whether I should decide between ITV1 or ITV2- the difference between these two channels is that their drama slot, the typical 8pm or 9pm slot, is more directed at 16-35 year olds on ITV2, whereas on ITV1, they might seek to target an even broader audience. I'd also like to point out that unless I create a classic Crime Drama (along the lines of Agatha Christie's "Who Dunnit" genre of mystery), ITV3 isn't a channel I could aim for even though it's labelled the primary drama channel.
I will leave that question, however, for when I have come up with a set plan for my piece, and then I will decide where I would put it.
ITV
On their website, ITV describes itself as "an integrated producer broadcaster, which creates, owns and distributes high-quality content on multiple platforms globally". They also claim to be Britain's largest family of commercial channels.
Below is a list of the channels and what they are each described as on their Commissioning page.
ITV1 "is the home of high quality, popular television from the biggest entertainment events, to original drama, soaps, sport, factual series and independent news, both national, and regional."
ITV2 is "ITV's entertainment channel for young people, with a range of shows including original scripted comedies and panel shows, American acquisitions, and movies."
ITV3 is "a home for popular classic drama series from ITV, alongside a selection of choice factual and entertainment programmes."
ITV4 is "great escapism with a mixture of live sport, iconic movies, US acquired shows and cult classics."
ITVBe is "lifestyle and entertainment programming from the UK and US, featuring real lives, and real people."
From the information given here, we can tell that ITV aims to be a mainstream channel, catering to as broad an audience as possible, which includes our projects target age group, the millennials. I have also sourced some more information from ITV's About page.
According to ITV's market research, "the global content market is growing at around 5% per annum, with some genres such as drama rising faster than others". This means that they are more likely to focus on spending money on genres that will give more returns and achieve more popularity.
Another important thing to note that their research touches on is that "linear television viewing" (ordinary broadcast TV), while still the dominant method of consuming TV content "for most demographics", is being heavily pressured by newer, online players like Netflix and Amazon. This means that they are more likely to experiment with and possibly be more accepting of content that is not typically traditional TV. It also shows that they are threat from a diminishing younger, millennial audience, which makes up a large part of Netflix's viewership.
The USA is listed as the largest market for content, but the UK is at number 2. ITV points out the fact that "within the UK, there is stronger demand and higher viewing figures for UK content over imported content". This means that producing UK focused content is more likely to fit within their framework for content.
Since I plan to do a drama genre (or something similar) production for my project, I decided to go deeper into the Commissioning pages for ITV Drama.
Their output aims in regards to drama are "to have variety and depth", and they make "series, serials and single films for broad, mainstream audiences". A few Dramas they seem to be particularly proud of include "Broadchurch", "Downton Abbey" and "The Lost Honour". Long running shows like Emmerdale and Coronation Street are described as the "bedrock" of their weekly schedule.
The requirements for their dramas is to "deliver the highest quality popular mainstream drama to the largest audience". They say that no subjects are off limits, but that they will "always look for mainstream appeal and an accessible way in for our audience". They are keen to bring new experiences to audiences, but never to alienate them. They say specifically that "an ITV drama is never cynical and is always entertaining".
I also thought it was interesting that they also seem to be pushing to have content for ITV2 which can overlap with ITV1. They say that "in a concerted strategy to make ITV2 a fully rounded entertainment channel, we are now actively commissioning scripted comedy and drama".
This brings up the question of whether I should decide between ITV1 or ITV2- the difference between these two channels is that their drama slot, the typical 8pm or 9pm slot, is more directed at 16-35 year olds on ITV2, whereas on ITV1, they might seek to target an even broader audience. I'd also like to point out that unless I create a classic Crime Drama (along the lines of Agatha Christie's "Who Dunnit" genre of mystery), ITV3 isn't a channel I could aim for even though it's labelled the primary drama channel.
I will leave that question, however, for when I have come up with a set plan for my piece, and then I will decide where I would put it.
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