30 Nov 10

X Factor and Britain's Got Talent deal "critical" for ITV

by Ailsa Scott, TV Account Executive

A new deal, reportedly worth £120m, will see ITV continue to broadcast Simon Cowell's X Factor and Britain's Got Talent reality shows for the next three years.

Mick Styles, MD of MEC, discussed the significance of this deal: "It’s a hugely important deal. It’s ITV’s crown jewel at the moment and it’s massively important to their strategy of producing those big-ratings programmes of over 10 million, because there’s not that many around now.”

The deal will also see spin off shows The Xtra Factor and Britain’s Got More Talent, along with America’s Got Talent, being broadcast on ITV2 over the same period.
The X Factor is generating much hype now and Styles sees no let up in sight among viewers aged between 15 and their mid-thirties, describing it as the "must have programme" for ITV for that age range.

Styles also went on to outline the implications of losing these programmes from the schedules: “It was critical for ITV that they tie up this deal. If they were seen to lose The X Factor that would have been devastating because there is nothing that is producing the richness of audiences in the youth market that that programme does. It’s pretty much irreplaceable.”
When looking at the trends in ABC1 Adult and 16-34 viewers over the last 2 years (shown in the graphs below), it’s clear to see the importance of these two flagship reality shows to ITV and to advertisers targeting a mass audience.