ITV posts 11% spike in ad revenue

ITV has underlined growing confidence in the TV ad market, posting an 11 per cent increase in ad revenue in the third quarter with total revenues of £1.7bn for the nine months to 30 September, representing a 6 per cent increase year on year. 

Downton Abbey
The popularity of Downton Abbey is expected to lift ad revenue.

The uplift for the three months to 30 September has led the broadcaster to forecast that total ad revenue would be up 2 per cent for the full year.

Non-advertising revenue for the nine month period was also up eleven per cent during period, hitting £810m, due to increased international demand for programmes it has developed and produced such as Mr Selfridge and Downton Abbey.

The company adds ad revenue was up 8 per cent year on year in October, primarily due to ad spend attracted by flagship programming such as the X-Factor. Ad revenue is predicted to rise by 4 per cent in November, and by 1 per cent in December.

Adam Crozier, ITV’s chief executive, says: ”The television advertising market is showing signs of improvement, which will benefit the core broadcast business, and we expect to deliver double digit revenue growth in online, pay and interactive.”        

The figures appear to back up a report published last month by the Advertising Association/WARC, which claimed advertising spend hit £8.54bn in the six months to 30 June and forecasting the sector would grow 3.3 per cent for the full-year. 

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