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If ITV went to the wall

There must be plan somewhere? (March 2009)

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IS
Inspector Sands
623058 posted:
Over the past couple of days i have been wondering
What if ITV PLC went out of business, or even administration?


Companies like that don't just 'go out of business'. If it's problems got very bad then it would call in the administrators to help sort it out and to protect it until it can be wound up and or sold off.

Quote:

What would happen to channel 3? would there operate it as a going concern but if that is the case then many of the show would have to be pulled to Save costs big time. and could slots now be filled with muisc? that may be the cheaper options. where would half the shows go?


Say if it went into administration tomorrow and there was no chance of saving it as a whole... then the assets would be sold off. Programmes it makes are assets and the more popular ones would find buyers - Coronation Street for example.

As for what goes on air, who knows. It would most likely continue business as usual until it was sold on or until it stopped trading in which case it would be blank screens. Unlike when ITV companies disappeared off air in the past (either because they gave up their license early or when there were strikes) there is no IBA/ITA to take over.... they're on their own.

The nearest thing to that scenario is when ITV Digital went off air - it just went off air and I'd have thought that in the same circumstances ITV in England and Wales would too, although what would happen to the other 3 ITV companies I have no idea.

In reality someone would at least take over the licenses, even after switchover they're still valuable slots. I'd have thought that Ofcom would have to make some serious concessions to the new owners though

Quote:

I dare say some one would buy the stations or would the divide the company in two and sell it off that way London operations and southern place and Machester of the northern operates ( may included leeds)


If the company was broken up and sold off the administrators would sell off assets according to what they could find buyers for. It would be very unlikely to be sold off in an artificial north/south split.

The licenses themselves are assets... as long as they aren't handed back or taken away for a serious breach by Ofcom. But say if ITV has serious problems and couldn't continue broadcasting, there's a very good chance that they would be in breach of their licenses and would get them taken away which of course would make it's biggest assets worthless!
RM
Roger Mellie
If ITV's shares continue to plummet, would Sky sell its share in ITV, I wonder? If memory serves, didn't Sky buy its 667 milion shares at 150p each back in the day? I think they must be worth 17p now, from what I gather; so if Sky were to sell its share now, it would be a financial strain on Sky.

I imagine Sky would try to wait it out, hoping ITV collapses would collapse first-- so they don't have to sell the shares. Otherwise would the law state that Sky have to sell? How much of a say does Ofcom have in the matter?

I ask those as genuine questions; if some of our learn'd TVFers would care to answer, I'll be most grateful Smile
:-(
A former member
Maybe this is the time for SKY to take over ITV. and make itv1 and sky 1 the same

just an idea! Rolling Eyes Don;t shot me!
NB
NBC
Listen if names like Woolworths can go after nearly 100 years on our High Street, then there is Nothing to say ITV couldn't go the same way. Perhaps a rebirth like WELLWORTHS did today in Dorchester may not be out of the question for the very sorry state we find the country's biggest commercial broadcaster in.
IS
Inspector Sands
Roger Mellie posted:
If ITV's shares continue to plummet, would Sky sell its share in ITV, I wonder? If memory serves, didn't Sky buy its 667 milion shares at 150p each back in the day? I think they must be worth 17p now, from what I gather; so if Sky were to sell its share now, it would be a financial strain on Sky.

I imagine Sky would try to wait it out, hoping ITV collapses would collapse first-- so they don't have to sell the shares. Otherwise would the law state that Sky have to sell? How much of a say does Ofcom have in the matter?


They are looking at a loss on those shares, in fact the share price has been going down since they bought them.

I thought that they had to sell them already, although if thety are waiting they'll be waiting for them to go back up, not for the company to collapse. If ITV is no more then those shares will likely be worth nothing at all
TO
Tom0
Simple answer, it won't. With the troubles, fact is it is still by some margin the most profitable commercial channel so if ITV did go into administration or out of business then theoretically so will have every other commercial channel.
GS
Gavin Scott Founding member
Tom0 posted:
Simple answer, it won't. With the troubles, fact is it is still by some margin the most profitable commercial channel so if ITV did go into administration or out of business then theoretically so will have every other commercial channel.


I think that's rather specious reasoning.

The fact is that other "general entertainment" digital channels don't have the production costs and high staff levels in comparison. Although Virgin 1, Living and Sky do produce their own stuff, the majority of their output is bought in - usually only the good stuff that will at least give them a return, as opposed to commissioning potentially expensive turkeys.

I suspect it will be those broadcasters who make little that will weather the storm more comfortably than those who produce their own shows.
TO
Tom0
Gavin Scott posted:
Tom0 posted:
Simple answer, it won't. With the troubles, fact is it is still by some margin the most profitable commercial channel so if ITV did go into administration or out of business then theoretically so will have every other commercial channel.


I think that's rather specious reasoning.

The fact is that other "general entertainment" digital channels don't have the production costs and high staff levels in comparison. Although Virgin 1, Living and Sky do produce their own stuff, the majority of their output is bought in - usually only the good stuff that will at least give them a return, as opposed to commissioning potentially expensive turkeys.

I suspect it will be those broadcasters who make little that will weather the storm more comfortably than those who produce their own shows.


But ITV will earn a hell of a lot more off the back of Dancing on Ice than Living will off some imports. It levels out and kind of pays for itself. But I do agree that the smaller channels will be least affected mainly because they either have a niche audience or a loyal audience.
BH
Blake Hill
Just posted this over in the Newsroom: BBC & ITV sign memorandum of understanding to safeguard regional news
AM
amosc100
I think the best for ITV is it could be bought by Bertlesman/RTL, then they could really rationalise and sort out all the channels and be more focused with its channels...

e.g.:-

ITV1 - same as now but move some programmes over such as Lunchtime editions of Home and Away and Neighbours, Minder, The Wright Stuff (if it still exists when Five & Friends begin!) - news provided by ITN - 24 hours with no nightscreen or infomercials - the home of first run UK productions. All sport (including Champions League) to be shown on ITV5

ITV2 - same as now but with an emphasis on all US programmes in the library rather than emphasis on a female slant. In otherwords ITV2 would replace the now ITV2 and Fiver - can include nightscreen and infomercials - 24 hours

ITV3 - no change with the emphasis on classic British shows - can include nightscreen and infomercials

ITV4 - slight change in emphasis in that sport will no longer be shown on the channel and instead refocus to be more men orientated. It would replace the current ITV4, Men and Motors and Five USA - 24 hours - can include nightscreen and infomercials

ITV5 - the new name for Five. It would have children's programmes at Breakfast (3 hours), the return of the children's afternoon slot (2 hours) and of course Weekend Breakfast/morning slots; repeat showings of ITV1 soaps, increase the Five and Friends to 90 minutes to make it more news/magazine style - a cross between The One Show and original style of Five News, a new nightly Current affairs shows - along the lines of Australia's A Current Affair. To show the sport licensed to ITV/Five; factual and documentary and magazine series to dominate evening schedule - as now; first run US Drama's and comedies - news updates and Five & Friends supplied by Sky News - no nightscreen or infomercials + early evening repeats (i.e. 1730 to 1830) of Home and away and Neighbours

CITV - no change except offers an alternative schedule to when childrens programmes are on ITV5 - hours 0600 to 1900

Men and Motors - emphasis change with more action films and motoring shows as well as Quiz Call - hours 1900 to 0600. Or sell the channel and replace it with ITV Film Channel.

Fiver and Five US either close or become +1 channnels for ITV1 and ITV5
MA
Malpass
Backwards step for Five, IMO.
NW
nwtv2003
Malpass93 posted:
Backwards step for Five, IMO.


Sounds like it, at the moment RTL/Five are mainly focusing on a Channel 4 merger, as their structure, size and audiences are roughly around the same. Although RTL are a huge company, Five is a small service in comparsion to ITV, just wouldn't make sense.

ITV would be better if it was bought by another media organisation, or let it have a tie up with Virgin Media, like they planned before Sky got 18% of the company.

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