Media
Highlights of the much-anticipated controller session with Simon Shaps, director of television at ITV:
- The room was the most packed of the festival, so much so that some delegates were forced to sit on the floor. Charles Allen arrived late but managed to find a seat.
- Shaps said he was "pretty comfortable" with ITV's autumn lineup but stressed that autumn 2007 would be when a lot of new series will come through.
- On Allen: "Charles has been a great boss to work for. He's not a commissioner. He's been incredibly supportive of the team... in what has been a tough period. On a personal level, I'm clearly disappointed [that he is leaving]."
- What he wants from the next CEO: "A person supporting the team without trying to micro-manage what they do."
- On the summer misfortunes: "There's been a seven-week period when we've got squeezed between the BBC with its 9pm dramas, and Big Brother on Channel 4. ITV hasn't covered itself with glory this summer."
- The strategy of placing 90-minute dramas at 9pm will be phased out; instead one-hour dramas will run at 9 and new half-hours - including comedies - will follow at 10.
- On Love Island: "It's not exactly in the heart of the primetime schedule. It delivered for us last summer - it provided some of the best, most entertaining pieces of television all year. This year numbers haven't been as good... that's a shame.
- Shaps said he already had some "pretty developed thoughts" for the architecture of next summer's schedule. Although he refused to divulge specifics, he hinted that acquisitions, event programming and first-run drama would all feature.
- In relation to the stories regarding ITV attempting to poach Big Brother from Channel 4: "I'm rather curious about this. We've made no offer for Big Brother."
- Asked about the possibility of more channels: "We're looking really hard for ideas. They've done a great job for us... and we have a great capability to launch new channels."
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Why doesn't ITV try to compete with Sky & launch a free sports channel ? I'm sure there would be enough interest. I think a lot of people that don't have sky, are fed up with them dominating sports coverage. ITV has been around a lot longer than sky & I'm sure they could compete with them.