TV
ITV is to spend a record £825m on programming in 2003, Granada chairman Charles Allen revealed at a conference in Barcelona today.
The figure is a 6% rise on the £775m budget for this calendar year, and is in response to criticism from advertisers that the network is taking a pummelling in the ratings from BBC One.
Despite the increase, however, ITV's programming budget will still be almost £200m less than that of its main rival. BBC Director-General Greg Dyke recently announced an extra £54m for BBC One programming in the current financial year, taking the total budget to £1016m.
ITV1 is also expected to face stiffer competiion from Channel 4 and five -- both of whom are likely to increase their programming budgets -- as the UK's commercial networks battle the downturn in advertising.
The rise in ITV's spending will be subject to endorsement from Granada's fellow licence holder Carlton.
The figure is a 6% rise on the £775m budget for this calendar year, and is in response to criticism from advertisers that the network is taking a pummelling in the ratings from BBC One.
Despite the increase, however, ITV's programming budget will still be almost £200m less than that of its main rival. BBC Director-General Greg Dyke recently announced an extra £54m for BBC One programming in the current financial year, taking the total budget to £1016m.
ITV1 is also expected to face stiffer competiion from Channel 4 and five -- both of whom are likely to increase their programming budgets -- as the UK's commercial networks battle the downturn in advertising.
The rise in ITV's spending will be subject to endorsement from Granada's fellow licence holder Carlton.
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