World Cup gives ITV a big boost

There have been complaints about the quality of its coverage and most viewers will probably prefer BBC to ITV for the World Cup final, if only because of the absence of adverts.   However, the World Cup has given ITV’s advertising revenues a much bigger boost than it had hoped for.

There have been complaints about the quality of its coverage and most viewers will probably prefer BBC to ITV for the World Cup final, if only because of the absence of adverts.   However, the World Cup has given ITV’s advertising revenues a much bigger boost than it had hoped for.


Advertising revenues were up 45 per cent on its main channel compared with the same period last year.  Admittedly revenues hit a real low in June last year, but this is an outcome well beyond the predictions of the most up beat analysts.  Sales for ITV1 increased by 16 per cent in July and forward bookings for August are also up.  The test for the channel now is whether the boost is a temporary one and can be maintained in September.