Latest news with #ScottishTelevision
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scottish TV in crisis as demand collapses amid economic gloom
Scottish TV has been plunged into crisis as economic gloom hits advertising revenues and demand for new shows. Scottish Television (STV), which holds the Channel 3 licence in Scotland and is the country's largest commercial broadcaster, has warned that its revenues and profits would be 'materially' below expectations this year. Shares in the broadcaster plunged by as much as a third to their lowest level in more than 12 years in response to the update, pushing its market value below £90m. ITV, which licences many of its programmes to the Scottish channel, was also down 2pc. STV suffered a 10pc drop in advertising revenue in the first six months of 2025, which it said was in line with expectations following strong trading in the same period last year during the Euros football tournament. But bosses warned the market had since deteriorated further, with ad revenues plunging by a fifth in July. In addition to the advertising downturn, STV warned of a significant slowdown in its production division, which is the largest in Scotland and is behind shows such as the BBC's Blue Lights and upcoming Sky drama Amadeus. Studio businesses are considered a key area of growth for broadcasters as they grapple with a decline in traditional TV viewing. But rising costs and tough competition from streaming rivals result in many channels having to cut back on programming spend, leading to fewer commissions. ITV last week said it was slashing its programming spending as part of a wider cost-cutting strategy, while Channel 4 is also investing significantly less in making TV shows. Focus on Britain STV said that while it is working on projects for US streaming giants including Netflix and Apple, it remains primarily UK-focused, meaning it has been 'disproportionately' hit by a drying up of demand in the domestic market. STV forecasts production revenues of between £75m and £85m for the full year, well behind its targets of £200m by the end of the decade. Overall, STV said it was lowering its full-year revenue forecasts to between £165m and £180m with a profit margin of around 7pc. Richard Bernstein, the head of fund manager Crystal Amber, which was previously the largest shareholder in STV, described the profit warning as 'vicious'. He said: 'We've been tracking the company and saw today's warning as inevitable: it was over a year since its last new studio commission, we think the worst is yet to come.' In May, STV announced that it would combine its traditional TV and streaming businesses into a single division, aiming to streamline the company for the digital age. It also announced plans to launch a new Scotland-focused commercial radio station while doubling revenues in its studios unit. Bosses said they were ramping up cost-cutting plans with a further £750,000 in savings identified, bringing the company's total target for the year to £2.5m. Further cost-cutting is expected next year. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Sign in to access your portfolio
Wales Online
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Hazel Irvine's shock secret wedding to mystery husband and baby at 43
Hazel Irvine's shock secret wedding to mystery husband and baby at 43 The presenter is fronting the BBC's coverage of the World Snooker Championship final between Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong Irvine is one of the most respected presenters in the business The 2025 World Snooker Championship is nearing its conclusion, with Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong battling it out in the final at the Crucible Theatre. Sunday's opening session saw Zhao race into a commanding lead, blowing three-time world champion Williams away and ending the session 7-1 up. The 28-year-old is playing as an amateur after being banned from snooker for 20 months following a match-fixing scandal, but could now become the first ever Chinese world champion if he can continue his fine form at the table. The final, which will conclude on Monday, is being shown live on the BBC - with presenter Hazel Irvine fronting the coverage as she has done right throughout the tournament. The 59-year-old is one of the most recognisable and respected sports presenters in the business, with her broadcasting career stretching back nearly 40 years. Having excelled at sport - namely golf, netball and athletics - at university, Irvine began her career on the radio, before moving to Scottish Television and later becoming a sports reporter for the network. She went on to co-host ITV's coverage of the 1988 Olympics and reported from the Scotland football team's training camp during the 1990 World Cup in Italy, before moving to the BBC in the same year and taking up the role of presenter for BBC Scotland's Sportscene programme. Article continues below Since the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, she has been a constant fixture for the broadcaster, covering nine Summer Games, five Winter Olympics, six Commonwealth Games and four FIFA World Cups. She has led the BBC's coverage of the Triple Crown snooker tournaments - the World Championship, the Masters and the UK Championship - since 2002 and also covered golf for the broadcaster for 25 years, as well as some non-sporting presenting roles. However, despite her remarkable and well-documented career, little is known about Irvine's personal life, with the St Andrews-born presenter managing to keep it out of the spotlight. In fact, when she got married in 2008, it came as a complete shock to fans - with the identity of her husband still unknown. It was first reported months after the event that Irvine had tied the knot with her mystery partner in a private ceremony in Scotland , with only close family and friends in attednance. The presenter had sparked marriage rumours when she presented coverage of The Open at Loch Lomond wearing a ring, with her agent later releasing a statement confirming the news. "I can confirm that she married her long-term partner a few months ago," the statement read. "It was a small and very private affair, and she and her husband are very happy. She wants to keep all the details private." The following year, the couple welcomed a daughter together but, again, her name has never been disclosed publicly. Irvine - who was 43 when she gave birth - had announced the news while at a charity sports quiz in London, telling the audience she had her "own credit crunch looming". Article continues below She added: "My clothes are already feeling the squeeze. My husband and I have a new arrival coming in the spring - which is going to be a drain on my own profits." In an interview with MailOnline five years later, she said the birth of her daughter was the thing that "altered the course of her life and character", as she explained: "I'm 48 now so having her quite late was truly fantastic. The greatest gift has been rediscovering the world through her eyes."
