Corrie halted for ITV speech

[Perdita]

STARS of Corrie will stop filming today to watch a televised announcement about the ITV's future - with big job cuts expected.
The actors and actresses will tune in to a broadcast by chairman Michael Grade, who is expected to announce redundancies - with cuts thought to be made in office and non-production roles.

It is thought by unions that Yorkshire Television - where Emmerdale is produced - will be worst affected.

Nostalgic hit Heartbeat and spin-off The Royal were culled at the start of the year by cash-strapped executives.

Insiders predict that ITV may sell off some land it owns - including the Corrie set - and move to a more modern development.

The source was reported as saying: "It is commonly felt that the head office and Coronation Street set is no longer fit for modern television."

[Perdita]

MUCH-loved telly shows are under threat as ITV prepares to axe up to 700 jobs today.

X Factor and Coronation Street could be hit as the broadcaster battles to stay afloat.
ITV chief Michael Grade will announce the cuts this morning. He is expected to reveal revenues have plunged 15 per cent in a year as fewer advertisers spend money on TV.

Insiders said ITV must cut at least £30million off its annual programming budget of £1billion.

It will struggle to renew X Factor judge Simon Cowell’s £20million golden handcuffs deal when it runs out in December.

Favourites Ant and Dec — also on a £20million exclusive deal — have already hinted they may not stay.

Flagship soaps Corrie and Emmerdale will have production budgets slashed by about five per cent — hitting stars’ salaries. Coronation Street will halt filming today to watch the annual results meeting via a live link.

Wild At Heart may be shelved despite drawing nearly nine million viewers — because filming the drama in South Africa is too expensive.

The show, starring Stephen Tompkinson, was expected to start shooting again in summer, but a source said: “Who knows what will happen?”

ITV may also be forced to close its Leeds studios, keeping only the Emmerdale set. It has already announced it is shelving Yorkshire-based Heartbeat and The Royal.

ITV cut 1,000 jobs last year. It is struggling with a £2.6billion pension fund and debt burden.

Around half of all admin staff are expected to get the chop.

The heads of little-watched ITV3 and ITV4 are set to be made redundant, while telly boss Peter Fincham is expected to get a bigger job overseeing all channels and programme production.

Gerry Morrissey, head of union Bectu, threatened strikes. He called ITV staff “the most demoralised workforce in British television”.

ITV wants to sell off Friends Reunited website and its ITN stake.

Last week it was revealed that ITV had drawn up a plan to merge with Channel 4 and Channel Five.

Noooo

[DaVeyWaVey]

ITV really are in a mess. Can't cutting down their soap output reduce costs too? If they cut Emmerdale and Corrie to three nights a week, surely that would save money? I would have thought that would be a good move.

[LostVoodoo]

i agree, cutting down an ep might help. wild at heart is such a naff and expensive programme they should get rid of it.

[alan45]

Unlike the BBC ITV does not receive anything from the Television Tax (aka TV Licensing). It makes its money from advertising so the advertisers to a certain extent dictate the programming. Advertising slots on top programmes like Corrie are the most expensive because advertisers know the majority of the population is watching them so they are prepared to pay a premium to advertise at these times.

The BBC are guaranteed their income from the Television Tax and can therefore justify huge salaries to so called stars like Jonathan Woss without worrying about making a profit.

[Abigail]

So you're saying cutting an episode of Corrie a week would reduce the advertising revenue?

[Perdita]

Yes, I think it would. ITV really needs to be careful to keep much loved programmes like the soaps going as long as possible, like Alan said, advertisers will be prepared to pay top whack if they can rely on a massive audience.

[Perdita]

DAYTIME stars on ITV are facing major pay cuts to guarantee the survival of hit shows such as Coronation Street, it emerged yesterday.

The Alan Titchmarsh Show, This Morning, Jeremy Kyle and Loose Women will be starved of cash as part of plans to cut £135million from the channel’s programming budget.

This Morning, hosted by Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton, will also be shelved for the summer and replaced with repeats.

Primetime soaps Corrie and Emmerdale will get extra money. But fewer dramas will be commissioned while some, such as Heartbeat, have already been axed.

Critics said the cuts could leave some ITV hits a shadow of their former selves — as our spoof schedule, left, shows.

Last night ministers were urged to bail out ITV, which lost £2.7billion last year.

The channel is slashing £65million from its programming budget this year and £70million in 2011.

The Bill will be cut to one episode a week. Some £10million of dramas already made have been shelved.

Last night actor Kevin Whately suggested Morse spin-off Lewis also faces the chop.

ITV plans to sell social website Friends Reunited. And it is cutting 600 jobs, mostly “back office” posts in London.

Boss Michael Grade said: “These are horrible decisions we are having to make.”

Broadcast union Bectu called on Culture Secretary Andy Burnham to step in.

CHANNEL Five chief Dawn Airey will today announce 100 jobs are to go.

[Abigail]

Would it be cheaper to buy dramas etc from other countries rather than continue production on some more expensive shows?

[Chloe O'brien]

They should cut the quiz shows and the prize giveaways on shows like Ant and Dec that would save some revenue also why don't the celebs like Ant & Dec, Simon Cowell and other xfactor judges take a major paycut. Is all well celebs complaining that shows are being axed but they are only covering their own backs. No-one is caring a dam about the hardworking staff behind the cameras who work long hours for peanuts while the big stars turn up for an hour a week and smile and get thousands for it.