ITV Online cuts
July 5, 2012
ITV’s managing director of online and on-demand Robin Pembrooke, is leaving the commercial broadcaster. He will be replaced by Julian March who will take up the new position of director of online.
March, who helped lead the relaunch of ITV.com’s news and sport sites earlier this year in his role as head of digital media for news, sport and weather, will take on a wider remit across the broadcaster’s portfolio. He will be responsible for the strategy and delivery of all ITV’s online activity and products as it focuses on broadcast content, sponsored interactive programme experiences, building online communities using social media and the continued distribution of ITV Player across multiple platforms.
ITV staff were told today that cost-cutting changes could put 40 jobs at risk in the 100-strong office. It is understood that the bulk of the jobs under threat are editorial positions. Staff have entered a four-week consultation period on the cuts. ITV said the likely redundancies would help the broadcaster adapt more quickly to changes in audience habits, such as an increase in video-on-demand and interactive viewing. Staff are expected to be multiskilled and work across various ITV platforms.
ITV Player launched in 2010 and since then online revenues have increased 21 per cent. Online and on-demand long form video views increased 24 per cent year-on-year to 110 million in the three months to 31 March.