Latest news with #CarolynMcCall
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ITV Sees No 'Direct Impact' From Possible Film Tariffs, Studios Unit Returns to Growth After Strikes
ITV Studios 'returned to growth following the impact of the U.S. strikes and is on course to achieve good growth in total revenues over the full year, weighted towards the second half,' as previously guided, U.K. TV giant ITV said on Thursday. ITV, led by CEO Carolyn McCall, provided a first-quarter 2025 trading update early in the morning. 'We continue to assess the possibility of trade tariffs in the U.S.,' it highlighted. 'ITV Studios only produces TV programming and therefore do not anticipate any direct impact from the imposition of tariffs on films.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Need a Drink? 5 Cannes Watering Holes to Wet Your Whistle Christopher Nolan's 'Odyssey' Will Be the First Blockbuster Shot Entirely on Imax Film Cameras Ryan Werner, Veteran Awards and Marketing Guru, Joins Neon as President of Global Cinema The company is also bullish on its broader trends. 'Media & entertainment (M&E)'s solid performance demonstrates ITV's market-leading position in U.K. streaming and broadcast,' the CEO said. 'ITVX continues to perform well, and we expect sustained strong growth in digital revenues. This is underpinned by the powerful reach and strong cash generation of M&E.' Total ITV Studios revenue grew 1 percent in the first quarter, while M&E revenue declined 3 percent, with total advertising revenue (TAR) down 2 percent, as previously guided. 'Within this, digital advertising revenue (a component of digital revenue) grew strongly, up 15 percent,' ITV said. In its ad outlook, ITV noted: 'As previously guided, the year-on-year second-quarter TAR outlook reflects the benefit in 2024 of the men's Euros which drove substantial advertising revenues. Compared to the same period in 2023, second-quarter and first-half 2025 TAR are expected to be broadly flat year on year.' ITV also shared updates on broader trends and initiatives. 'We are continuing to make good progress in implementing our cost and efficiency program and are on track to deliver significant non-content cost savings while optimizing our content spend to best reflect viewer dynamics,' McCall highlighted. 'While the macroeconomic environment is uncertain, we remain confident that our strategic initiatives, our focus on financial and cost discipline and our diversified revenue and customer base will enable us to successfully navigate an evolving market landscape and deliver long-term value to our shareholders.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV staff fury grows over cuts and 'death of daytime' as CEO pockets £4m salary
Staff at ITV are said to be growing angrier as the row over cuts on key shows such as Loose Women and Lorraine continues, with insiders feating a drop in standards ITV staff fury is growing as the row over sweeping cuts to Loose Women and Lorraine continues to rage. Recriminations are becoming increasingly bitter over the channel's axing of 220 jobs, with insiders insisting viewers will notice a drop in standards. Many are blaming chief executive Carolyn McCall for the 'death of daytime' and have criticised her for pocketing a massive £4million salary, including bonus, last year. There is also widespread anger that the cost-savings, which will radically change ITV 's daytime schedule from January, were not delivered by Ms McCall to staff gathered in London's Television Centre, on Tuesday. A Good Morning Britain source said: 'She could have walked the 400 yards to the studio to explain to folk in person.' But a channel spokeswoman said ITV Studios MD Julian Bellamy personally wanted to deliver the news: 'It was really important to him that he shared this news directly in the way he felt appropriate. This is also very much in line with best practice HR given the sensitivity of the situation.' They said ITV boss Kevin Lygo made the decision to shake-up the schedules. It comes as the channel was rocked by a series of other developments including: Claims that standards across Lorraine and Loose Women in particular will go into a 'death spiral' leaving viewers short-changed. Outrage over stars on shows such as This Morning keeping their well-paid jobs while hundreds are sacked. Fears of strikes among heavily unionised GMB studio crew and technicians. On screen, viewers will see huge changes to the daytime schedule. Lorraine is the worst hit. It will run for 30 weeks, not 50 weeks a year, and will be slashed from an hour to 30 minutes each day. Loose Women will stay at the same running time but will also be cut to 30 weeks. This Morning will remain the same length and frequency. Meanwhile Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes, to run from 6am to 9.30am. For the 22 weeks of the year Lorraine is not airing, it will go on until 10am. A source said: 'It's not a case of viewers seeing less of their shows… it's impossible to see how the high standards will remain the same. Some staff believe Loose Women and Lorraine in particular will enter a death spiral… it's just so sad. Just a handful of people will be working on each of those two programmes which has huge ramifications for how they are going forward.' All the shows are now going to be made under one roof. An insider asked: 'If that's the case, will Loose Women really still have a live audience…will there be the capacity for that? Everyone doubts it, not least because of the manpower needed to oversee it. Also, there is a huge amount of background work which goes into securing guests… in the new climate how does that continue with barely any staff?' ITV sources insist that they want 'minimal change' for viewers. The source said: 'It's early days and we are currently consulting but we don't want to alienate our viewers and it's hoped there will be minimal change on screen. Daytime is hugely important to our viewers.' The Loose Women panel, including Coleen Nolan, GK Barry and Frankie Bridge, are also expected to see shifts dwindle, especially those who live outside London and charge for travel and hotels. Glam squads are also expected to be axed with stars expected to use in-house make-up. An insider said: 'To be honest there is very little sympathy for stars having their glam squads cut among the rank and file staff, in fact there is a lot of anger that on the whole the channel's biggest stars are all keeping their jobs – and their exorbitant salaries – while others suffer.' They added: 'It's no secret that stars on This Morning such as Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley are on huge salaries. Many believe they should offer to take cuts, or at least when their contracts are next negotiated.' On the whole, This Morning is unaffected by the sweeping cuts. It will remain in its 10am-12.30pm slot on weekdays although questions remain over whether standards will be maintained. The current Good Morning Britain team was particularly hard hit – of the 133 staff who currently make the early-bird magazine show, hosted by Susanna Reid, Richard Madeley and Ed Balls, just 38 will make the move to ITN which will now produce the show. One source on the show said: 'Lots of the studio crew and technicians will be the hardest hit with ITN taking over their roles. A lot of them are unionised and there is a fear among ITV that industrial action could be an option.' GMB will be re-homed within ITN's Gray's Inn Road headquarters in Central London. Staff working on all shows are expected to 'carry on as normal' until the plans are formalised. A source said: 'It's a mutinous atmosphere to say the least and far removed from the happy, cheery image that ITV Daytime usually evokes.' The Mirror revealed this week staff on Lorraine were particularly worried their main host could quit. Contrary to reports she was happy to see her hours cut 'to spend more time with her family', insiders say she is devastated for the team on the show being decimated. 'They are a tight bunch on Lorraine and the agony is palpable,' said one.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Advertising revenues plummeting at ITV amid hopes production arm won't be hit by Trump tariffs
ITV is facing a plunge in advertising – but does not expect its production arm to be hit by proposed US film tariffs. The company expects revenues to tumble 14 per cent in its second quarter following a 2 per cent slide in the first three months of its financial year. It blamed strong comparatives from a year earlier when trading was buoyed by the Euro 2024 football tournament. And it is assessing the 'possibility of trade tariffs in the US', but thinks its ITV Studios business should not suffer a direct impact if Donald Trump imposes a 100 per cent levy on international films. 'ITV Studios only produces TV programming and therefore does not anticipate any direct impact from the imposition of tariffs on films,' it said. Its ITV Studios division – producer of hits including Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Fool Me Once, starring Michelle Keegan for Netflix, and the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper's novel Rivals – notched up a 1 per cent rise in first-quarter revenues as it returned to growth after the impact of the 2023 US actors and writers strikes. But total group revenue fell 1 per cent to £875million, piling pressure on chief executive Carolyn McCall as she battles to revive ITV. She warned the 'macroeconomic environment is uncertain' as the shares fell 1.3 per cent, or 1p, to 78p. They are down around 70 per cent in the past decade. ITV has held talks about merging the Studios arm with All3Media to create a company worth more than £3billion. All3Media is owned by the Abu Dhabi-backed investment group Redbird IMI, and its production hits include TV show The Traitors. Banijay, the French group behind Big Brother, is also exploring a takeover of the Studios arm or the entire ITV group.
North Wales Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
ITV set for ad sales fall but does not expect hit from Trump film tariff threat
The group said it was still assessing the 'possibility of trade tariffs in the US', but added that its ITV Studios business should not suffer a direct impact if Mr Trump went ahead with his threat to impose a 100% tariff on international films. 'ITV Studios only produces TV programming and therefore do not anticipate any direct impact from the imposition of tariffs on films,' according to the group. It said it expects total ad revenues to slump by 14% in the second quarter as it comes up against strong comparatives from a year ago, when trading was buoyed by the men's Euros. The group's trading update also showed ad revenues dropped 2% in the first three months of the year. But its ITV Studios division notched up a 1% rise in first quarter revenues as it returned to growth following the impact of the 2023 US actors and writers strikes. Growth in the production business was held back by the ending of the Saturday Night Takeaway and The Tower programmes, with internal revenues down 26%. Carolyn McCall, ITV chief executive, said: 'While the macroeconomic environment is uncertain, we remain confident that our strategic initiatives, our focus on financial and cost discipline and our diversified revenue and customer base will enable us to successfully navigate an evolving market landscape.' She added that the group was 'continuing to make good progress in implementing our cost and efficiency programme', with £30 million of non-content cuts expected over 2025.
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
ITV set for ad sales fall but does not expect hit from Trump film tariff threat
The group said it was still assessing the 'possibility of trade tariffs in the US', but added that its ITV Studios business should not suffer a direct impact if Mr Trump went ahead with his threat to impose a 100% tariff on international films. 'ITV Studios only produces TV programming and therefore do not anticipate any direct impact from the imposition of tariffs on films,' according to the group. It said it expects total ad revenues to slump by 14% in the second quarter as it comes up against strong comparatives from a year ago, when trading was buoyed by the men's Euros. The group's trading update also showed ad revenues dropped 2% in the first three months of the year. But its ITV Studios division notched up a 1% rise in first quarter revenues as it returned to growth following the impact of the 2023 US actors and writers strikes. Growth in the production business was held back by the ending of the Saturday Night Takeaway and The Tower programmes, with internal revenues down 26%. Carolyn McCall, ITV chief executive, said: 'While the macroeconomic environment is uncertain, we remain confident that our strategic initiatives, our focus on financial and cost discipline and our diversified revenue and customer base will enable us to successfully navigate an evolving market landscape.' She added that the group was 'continuing to make good progress in implementing our cost and efficiency programme', with £30 million of non-content cuts expected over 2025.
