Figures released today show that advertisers targeting ITV’s popular X factor show are losing around 2.4 million viewers to the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing every time the show goes to break. The scheduling of the two reality shows, running parallel to each other in the listings, as well as a cross over in the demographic of their target markets, has led to the loss for advertisers.
Personally, I’m not a fan of either show and think the format has had it’s time. It must be a big blow to ITV though who, already struggling to maintain advertising revenues in the current climate, extended the show to a Saturday & Sunday slot this year (The acts sing on Saturday and are voted off on Sunday). Whilst the change was clearly aimed at increasing revenues from telephone voting, the move means that less importance will be placed by viewers on the Saturday show – when it’s in competition with ‘Strictly’.
Perhaps it’s an example that the traditional Ad-Break model is creaking under a culture of On-Demand viewing or perhaps it’s just an example of how hard it can be for ITV to compete with a publicly funded entity. Either way, the good news for fans is that X Factor won’t be going anywhere soon – viewing figures are up around 19% on 2008.
Here’s a piece from Campaign magazine with ITV’s figures.
By the way, I watched my first full show of this years’ X Factor on Saturday night and the only act I thought was any good was voted off the following day. I guess I’ve lost touch.
