GMTV (1993 - 2010)

Hmm. I think that speculation started yesterday at around 10am! Keep up!

If the reports are true and ITV are considering axing GMTV because its too dumbed down, then I think it would be a disastrous move because it is a well known brand. I think maybe the 6-9.25am block as we know it could go, but in essence it could still be the same thing. Maybe something like this could work:

6.00am- GMTV Newshour (actual news, John & Penny presenting rolling news with regular updates and interviews, maybe even behind a desk)
7.00am- GMTV Today (a bit like what the Newshour currently is, more news focused but with current affairs)
8.00am- GMTV Today (becoming a bit more entertainment and lifestyle) orientated
9.00am- Lorraine (split across GMTV and ITV ... Lorraine is Scottish so STV might not object )
then back to ITV1 ...
10.00am- This Morning
12.00pm- Loose Women

and so on

They did just buy Disney's share and GMTV is probably worth about £100M so I find this a bit hard to believe.

Forget "axing GMTV". GMTV is a money-making machine (for now) and there's not many parts of ITV you can say that about.

Not to mention the fact that ITV would never axe something for being 'too dumbed down'.

I thought I'd share this pic which TimesOnline used to illustrate the GMTV story. Complete with a cheesy (and young) Eammon Holmes and some of the original (1993) set.

What a blast from the past!

http://www.gorillaenterprises.co.uk/upload/uploadFiles/GMTV-1992-studio-pic.jpg

I can't believe Disney have caved in. I expect big changes now, and I thought that Disney always rejected the offers? I expect that this could be the end of GMTV, and maybe the start of the 'ITV Breakfast News'

Why are people so adament to change a successful format? BBC Breakfast is an alternative to GMTV because of its hard driven news, and if GMTV was to go like that then they would both be the same? And what is the point in that?

GMTV is not going to win over more viewers by going more newsy, because that is what the BBC and Sky are offering. GMTV is popular because of what it is. There are newsier alternatives elsewhere.

I don't see why people are expecting the worst to happen for GMTV, it's popular in its current form, the only things that will probably change is that the Sales departments will be integrated with ITV's, quite likely for GMTV's News to be merged with the current ITN/ITV News service and a lot more crossover and promotion of ITV products etc. It still makes money, ITV want that and they probably want to cut down on a lot of costs.

so you'll have to change your username soon!!

why hasn't GMTV discussed the takeover plans and changes on the programme?

Maybe because it's breakfast television and 99% of viewers aren't interested in hearing that at 7:20am in the morning.