Here we go again, ITV has announced another poor set of results. To be fair to them they are actually a big improvement on the past year or two, which considering the current economic climate is an achievement.
However, ITV is in long-term decline and is seriously considering giving up its rights as a major broadcaster by having public service commitments. I don't blame it, every good idea is copied by the BBC and even ITV's best sports coverage (Formula 1) is nicked by the BBC.
The BBC, funded by a poll tax on TV owners, even pays its best stars better and is able to deliver better audiences.
There is no level playing field, even Channel 4 gets taxpayer subsidy to boot. Sky is funded by market means that ITV is no doubt looking into as a possible future.
Of course, changes in the market for TV and in viewing habits set a wider context for ITV's decline and ITV too is guilty of some horrible mistakes like the purchase of friends reunited; but do we want the UK market to be dominated by the Islington literati vs the Murdoch dynasty?
In current circumstances where every penny counts for us all, there is no moral justification for the BBC to have Government funding, as I have argued many times. I hope the Conservatives grab this nettle, scrapping such a hugely regressive tax would be popular and improve the health of the media market and save the private sector. If we people want specialised, quality TV entertainment then they will pay for it voluntarily; as SKY has proved with great success.
More tangential, but by my personal belief, is that the BBC employs hundreds (thousands?) of media studies graduates each year which sustains this market - all at taxpayer expense. This encourages Universities to offer such lightweight courses in the first place. Therefore these people are lost to the productive economy from the age of 17. I don't want less market regulation to re-balance the sector and reduce the artificial demand which hampers private companies and damages the economy.
