The Stage

ITV axes award-winning children’s production arm

Published Tuesday 20 June 2006 at 15:05 by Liz Thomas

ITV has confirmed it is to shut down its children’s production division, despite its award-winning track record with hits such as My Parents Are Aliens, prompting concerns it is moving to withdraw from kids’ programming altogether.

The closure of ITV Productions Kids, which is a cost-cutting measure will see 19 jobs affected in London, Manchester and Leeds, and comes at a time when the network is under mounting pressure from falling advertising revenue and ratings.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that we are consulting on the disposal of ITV Productions Kids. The decision is part of an ongoing process of restructuring within ITV Productions, and ITV plc more generally, to improve efficiency in the business. The unit has been responsible for many great children’s programmes, and the content will continue to be seen on ITV for some time to come. This decision reflects the competitive production environment and is not a reflection of the quality of the unit’s work over many years.”

He added the company was considering selling the division as a going concern, which means that it has the resources to continue to operate and could potentially be bought as whole.

While the network has said it remains committed to children’s programming both on the ITV1 and on the digital CITV Channel, industry insiders and kids’ campaigners have suggested that this is the first step in plans to move out of terrestrial kids’ programming entirely.

While the broadcaster continues to meet the hours of children’s television stipulated by Ofcom, the genre has been increasingly cut back on the main channel. The popularity of daytime shows such as Deal or No Deal on Channel 4 and The Weakest Link on BBC2 has meant the network has reduced CITV to just one hour after school, in order to fill the space with programmes such as Joe Pasquale’s The Price Is Right that are more commercially competitive and bring bigger ratings. The threat of a ban on junk food advertising during kids’ programming throws up further funding concerns, as it is estimated that round 70% of the cost of children’s programmes is funded from advertising and significant proportion of that comes from food advertising. Earlier this year ITV warned that more stringent regulations could lead to less programme investment.