Norman talks of itv transformation

ARCHIE Norman, the new ITV chairman, has said that the broadcaster faces a “complete transformation” and that a strategic review will be launched as soon as Adam Crozier arrives as chief executive on April 26.

Speaking at the weekend, Mr. Norman said that the commercial broadcaster is very likely to start using pay-TV mechanisms over the next few years and that it would be wrong for ITV to sell its production arm.

The former Asda executive also accused the BBC of engaging in behaviour that damages commercial television and said that the organisation should have its budget cut.

Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr. Norman stressed that future strategy will be a matter for Mr Crozier but that wide-reaching change is needed.

“We can be a much more efficient and successful business.” He said. “The more successful we become, the more people we can employ and the more money we can put into programmes. Is ITV lean and mean? No.”

Mr. Norman said that the company could not simply rely on the advertising market for its long-term future.

He also said that ITV has been slow to make money out of the ‘non-traditional’ revenue streams. He gave the example of a Britain’s Got Talent clip of singer Susan Boyle that went on to become a YouTube sensation. He argued that ITV had “not successfully monetise” such clips.

“The famous clip of Susan Boyle on YouTube – nobody made any money out of that,” he said.

Courtesy of The Daily Telegraph