PA
ITV is to plough an extra £20m into its autumn programming budget on flagship channel ITV1, mainly on what its programming chief claims will be
a list of top quality drama shows
.
In an exclusive interview with Media Week , ITV director of programmes Nigel Pickard said the extra investment, made possible in part by Ofcom deciding to slash its annual licence fee, would bemade in time to have an impact on the autumn schedule.
ITV1 has faced severe criticism in recent months for the quality of its line-up, especially for reality shows such as Celebrity Wrestling and Celebrity Love Island, which have struggled in the ratings.
Pickard said lessons had been learned from the broadcaster's mistakes and drama shows being lined up would be among the best in ITV's 50-year history .
"The autumn is a key period for ITV," he said. "We are going to put more money in, not least because of the decision by Ofcom.
"We are the drama channel. It's our USP. Everybody looks back at shows like Minder and Inspector Morse, but if you look at some of the shows coming up, people will be saying in 20 years, do you remember those shows? "
Some programmes have been brought forward as a result of the extra investment, said Pickard.
As well as a return for shows such as Doc Martin, starring Martin Clunes, the autumn line-up includes Vincent , with Ray Winstone as a private investigator, Jericho, starring Robert Lindsay as a private investigator (this time in the 1950s), and Rik Mayall in All About George, the latest series from the director of Cold Feet .
Many viewers and media buyers have got cold feet in recent times with the quality of programming on ITV1, but Pickard said he believed the broadcaster had the talent to defy the critics .
Admitting ITV1 had suffered "relentless" criticism, he said: "We're a big boy and we've got to take the rough with the smooth.
We've learned lots of lessons. We have to try new things. "
ITV will reveal full details of the autumn schedule at a meeting with advertisers and agencies on 19 July .
In an exclusive interview with Media Week , ITV director of programmes Nigel Pickard said the extra investment, made possible in part by Ofcom deciding to slash its annual licence fee, would bemade in time to have an impact on the autumn schedule.
ITV1 has faced severe criticism in recent months for the quality of its line-up, especially for reality shows such as Celebrity Wrestling and Celebrity Love Island, which have struggled in the ratings.
Pickard said lessons had been learned from the broadcaster's mistakes and drama shows being lined up would be among the best in ITV's 50-year history .
"The autumn is a key period for ITV," he said. "We are going to put more money in, not least because of the decision by Ofcom.
"We are the drama channel. It's our USP. Everybody looks back at shows like Minder and Inspector Morse, but if you look at some of the shows coming up, people will be saying in 20 years, do you remember those shows? "
Some programmes have been brought forward as a result of the extra investment, said Pickard.
As well as a return for shows such as Doc Martin, starring Martin Clunes, the autumn line-up includes Vincent , with Ray Winstone as a private investigator, Jericho, starring Robert Lindsay as a private investigator (this time in the 1950s), and Rik Mayall in All About George, the latest series from the director of Cold Feet .
Many viewers and media buyers have got cold feet in recent times with the quality of programming on ITV1, but Pickard said he believed the broadcaster had the talent to defy the critics .
Admitting ITV1 had suffered "relentless" criticism, he said: "We're a big boy and we've got to take the rough with the smooth.
We've learned lots of lessons. We have to try new things. "
ITV will reveal full details of the autumn schedule at a meeting with advertisers and agencies on 19 July .