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ITV PLC
ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2023
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CONTENTS
KEY FINANCIALS1
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
1
MORE
THAN
TV
OUR strategy
Our strategy is focused on three strategic pillars illustrated below. 2023 was
the year of peak investment for Streaming, which together with the successful
execution of our strategy and the efficiencies delivered to date have made ITV
more robust. ITV has a leading, scaled, global Studios business, a high growth
Streaming service and a cash generative linear advertising business. This ensures
that we are well placed to grow profits from here as we continue to drive
material efficiencies, invest behind our
strategic priorities and deliver
returns to shareholders.
Read more
on page 10
supercharge
STREAMING
Driving digital viewing and
revenue through ITVX and Planet V,
ITV’s leading addressable
advertising platform
OUR purpose
We entertain and connect with
millions of people in the UK and
globally, reflecting and shaping
culture and building brands with
brilliant content and creativity.
OUR 2026 vision
To be a leader in UK advertiser-
funded streaming and an expanding
global force in content.
expand
STUDIOS
Further expanding by genre,
geography and customer and
growing faster than market
Vertically
Integrated
Producer
Broadcaster
and Streamer
STRATEGIC REPORT
Key Financials
An Introduction to ITV
and its Business Model
Investor Proposition
Chair’s Statement
Our Key Stakeholders
Market Review
Chief Executive’s Statement
Our Strategy
Key Performance Indicators
Operating and Financial
Performance Review
Social Purpose
Our People
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2
4
5
6
7
8
10
14
18
32
40
Alternative Performance Measures 42
Finance Review
Non-Financial and Sustainability
Information Statement
Risks and Uncertainties
Climate Related
Financial Disclosures
Long-term Viability
Statement Disclosure
GOVERNANCE
Chair’s Governance Statement
Board of Directors
Management Board
Corporate Governance
Stakeholder Engagement
Our Commitment to Section 172(1)
Nominations Committee Report
Audit and Risk Committee Report
Remuneration Report
Directors’ Report
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Financial Statements
Independent Auditor’s Report
Primary Statements
ITV plc Company Financial
Statements
Subsidiary undertakings and
investments
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Glossary
45
52
55
65
72
75
77
79
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84
92
103
106
117
143
148
149
156
229
238
243
optimise
BROADCAST
Digitally transforming as we continue to
attract commercial broadcast audiences
of unparalleled scale
ONLINE
We maintain a corporate website
containing our financial results and a
wide range of information of interest to
all stakeholders, including institutional
and private investors: www.itvplc.com
Group external revenue
Cost savings
£3,624m
-3% (2022: £3,728m)
£24m
(2022:£23m)
Group adjusted EBITA
Net debt
£489m
-32% (2022: £717m)
£553m
(2022: £623m)
Adjusted EPS
7.8p
-41% (2022: 13.2p)
Profit to cash conversion
102%
(2022: 75%)
Statutory operating profit
Leverage
£238m
-54% (2022: £519m)
Statutory EPS
5.2p
-51% (2022: 10.7p)
FURTHER READING
1.0x
(2022: 0.8x)
Dividend
5.0p
(2022: 5.0p)
Social Purpose Impact Report
Read more at
itvplc.com/socialpurpose
Pay Gap Report
Read more at
itvplc.com/investors/governance
ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Strategic Report
The Strategic Report explains in detail how we have
performed this year and sets out, amongst other things,
a fair review of the business, a balanced and comprehensive
analysis of our performance, the use of key performance
indicators to explain the progress we have made,
a description of the principal risks and uncertainties
facing the Company, and an indication of potential
future developments.
The Strategic Report is prepared in line with the relevant
provisions of the Companies Act 2006 and the 2018
Corporate Governance Code (Code) and the Company
has had regard to the guidance issued by the Financial
Reporting Council. It is intended to provide shareholders
and other stakeholders with a better understanding of the
Company, of its position in the markets within which it
operates, and of its prospects. In setting out the Company’s
main risks and uncertainties and throughout, this report
and accounts contains statements that are based on
knowledge and information available at the date of
preparation of the Strategic Report, and what are believed
to be reasonable judgements, and therefore cannot be
considered as indications of likelihood or certainty.
A wide range of factors may cause the actual outcomes and
results to differ materially from those contained within, or
implied by, the various forward-looking statements in this
Annual Report and Accounts. None of these statements
should be construed as a profit forecast.
1. We use both statutory and adjusted measures in our Strategic Report. The latter, in management’s view,
reflects the underlying performance of the business and provides a more meaningful comparison of how
the business is managed and measured day-to-day. A full reconciliation between our statutory and adjusted
results is provided in our Alternative Performance Measures section. Our KPIs (which are based on adjusted
metrics) are set out in the KPIs section.
MORETHANTV
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ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
3
*
Includes £490 million of digital revenues1 (2022: £411 million)
• Integrated producer, broadcaster
• Creates and owns the rights to
• M&E is differentiated from global
AN INTRODUCTION TO ITV AND ITS BUSINESS MODEL
WHO WE ARE
ITV is a vertically integrated producer broadcaster and streamer,
consisting of ITV Studios and Media & Entertainment (M&E).
ITV TOTAL REVENUE
ITV Studios
M&E*
£2,170m
(2022: £2,096m)
£2,090m
(2022: £2,249m)
ITV GROUP ADJUSTED EBITA**
ITV Studios
M&E
£286m
(2022: £259m)
£205m
(2022: £464m)
** A full reconciliation between our adjusted and statutory
numbers is included in our APMs section
1. M&E digital revenue includes revenue from digital advertising, subscription, linear addressable advertising, digital sponsorship and commercial partnerships, ITV Win (digital
competitions platform) and other revenues from digital business ventures
OUR TWO DIVISIONS
ITV Studios
ITV Studios is a scaled and global creator, owner and distributor
of high-quality TV content. It operates in 13 countries, across over
60 labels and has a global distribution network. It is diversified by
genre, geography and customer in the key creative markets
around the world.
ITV Studios is the largest producer in the UK, one of the largest
unscripted producers in the US and one of the top three
producers in the majority of the international markets in which it
operates. ITV Studios has established relationships with key
content buyers and leading creative talent in those markets; and
with a combined content library of over 90,000 hours, it is also
one of the pre-eminent global distributors.
Media & Entertainment
ITV is the largest commercial broadcaster and streamer in the
UK, delivering unrivalled audience scale and reach. M&E includes
Streaming and Broadcast through which we distribute content via
ITVX, our free advertiser-funded streaming service, and via our
free-to-air linear TV channels. Our content is also distributed on
third-party partner platforms, such as Sky and Virgin.
ITVX also includes a subscription tier, ITVX Premium, which
provides subscribers with all of ITVX’s programming ad-free
along with other exclusive content.
ITV offers advertisers a unique combination of mass
simultaneous reach, targeted advertising, and commercial and
creative partnerships, in a brand safe environment across ITVX
and our linear TV channels.
Refer to the Operating and Financial Performance Review for further details on our divisions
OUR STRATEGIC ASSETS AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
ITV’s business model is based on a unique set of strategic assets and competitive advantages which enable us to grow our diversified
revenue streams and create value for our shareholders.
By developing, owning, managing and distributing the rights to content, ITV can maximise the value of its programme brands across
ITV Studios, Streaming and Broadcast. This ensures ITV is a more diversified business and enables it to drive value from different
revenue models.
Group
ITV Studios
ITV Media & Entertainment
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and streamer model creates
valuable synergies
• Strong, trusted brand, products
and culture
• A high-performing, agile and
diverse workforce
world-class content
• Broad global customer base with
major networks, streamers and
broadcasters
streamers with primarily
uniquely British content
• Deep commercial relationships
with advertisers
• Owns Planet V, an intuitive
self-serve addressable
advertising platform
• Strong data capabilities with one
of the largest first-party
datasets in the UK
USING OUR STRATEGIC ASSETS AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES WE AIM TO GROW…
OUR DIVERSIFIED REVENUE STREAMS
ITV Studios
Original production
We create and produce original scripted and unscripted content
commissions for a diverse customer base of global streamers,
major networks and local free-to-air and pay TV broadcasters
and operators across our production bases.
Formats
We create some of the world’s most successful unscripted
formats which we license globally to maximise the value from
our programme rights.
Distribution
We own the rights to a significant catalogue of programmes that
we license to broadcasters and streamers internationally through
our global distribution network.
Media & Entertainment
Advertising
ITVX and our free-to-air linear TV channels drive significant
digital and linear advertising revenues due to our ability to deliver
mass simultaneous audiences and targeted advertising at scale.
Commercial and creative partnerships
Using the power of our brands we help advertisers engage with
audiences in different ways. We provide unique and innovative
commercial and creative partnerships across ITVX and our
free-to-air linear TV channels. These include sponsorship,
product placement and advertiser-funded programming.
Subscription, competitions and third-party revenues
In the UK, we generate streaming subscription revenue through
our ad-free tier, ITVX Premium. We monetise our consumer
interactions through competitions associated with our
programme brands. We also receive third-party revenue from
distributing our channels and streaming services to other
platforms and services.
58%
of revenue generated
outside the UK
(2022: 60%)
32%
total revenue from
streamers
(2022: 22%)
19
formats sold in 3+
countries
(2022: 19)
37%
12.5m
monthly active users
(2022: 10.5m)
1,505m
total streaming hours
(2022: 1,192m)
SUPPORTED BY OUR…
RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
91%
of revenue from scripted
productions
(2022: 34%)
of the top 1,000 commercial
broadcast TV programmes
(2022: 93%)
32.6%
share of commercial
viewing
(2022: 33.8%)
ITV operates in an increasingly complex
business environment and our risk
management framework provides the
business with the tools to identify,
assess, manage and continually review
our risks.
Management and the Board can adapt
the strategy to ensure we are striking the
right balance between risk-taking and risk
mitigation, that any underlying risks in the
strategy are being appropriately managed
and therefore enabling the successful
delivery of the strategy.
Our business model enables us to create
value for all our key stakeholders, see page
6 for further detail.
4
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
INVESTOR PROPOSITION
ITV is delivering long-term value for shareholders through:
1 Driving significant benefits
from our unique position:
• As a vertically integrated producer,
broadcaster and streamer
Refer to the Chief Executive’s Statement on
page 8 for further details on these benefits
Reasons
to INVEST
4 Optimising Broadcast as we
continue to attract mass
linear TV audiences:
• Which remain highly valuable to
advertisers as they grow their businesses
and drives cash generation for the Group
Refer to our KPIs on page 14 and Operating and
Financial Performance Review on page 18 for
further details
6 Delivering against our KPIs
across the Group:
• On track to deliver our KPI targets in 2026
Refer to our KPIs on page 14 for further details
2 Growing its leading, scaled
and diversified global
Studios business:
•
ITV will grow faster than the global content
market, at a margin of 13-15%
Refer to Our More than TV Strategy on page 10
and Operating and Financial Performance
Review on page 18 for further details
3 Driving strong momentum
• Delivering significant growth in digital
in streaming:
viewing and digital advertising, providing
data-driven targeted advertising at scale
through Planet V (ITV’s addressable
advertising platform) in a trusted, brand
safe environment
Refer to our KPIs on page 14 and Operating and
Financial Performance Review on page 18 for
further details
5 Increasing profit over the
medium term:
• As we continue to rebalance the business
towards the growth drivers of ITV Studios
and advertiser funded streaming and
deliver further efficiencies
Refer to Our More than TV Strategy on page 10
and KPIs on page 14 for further details
7 Maintaining a robust
balance sheet, strong cash
generation and disciplined
capital allocation framework:
•
Invest organically in line with strategic
priorities; manage financial metrics
consistent with investment grade metrics
over the medium term; sustain a full year
ordinary dividend of at least 5.0p, which
will grow over the medium term; consider
value-creating inorganic investment
against strict criteria when appropriate;
and any surplus capital will be returned to
shareholders
• £235 million share buyback to be
completed within the next 18 months
See the Finance Review on page 45 for
further details
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
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CHAIR’S STATEMENT
2023 WAS A
CHALLENGING BUT
PRODUCTIVE YEAR
In a nutshell, 2023 was a challenging but
productive year. Economic headwinds were
present throughout the year impacting our
financial performance but we made good
progress strengthening the internal
capabilities of the organisation and hitting
a number of key milestones on our strategic
journey to be ‘More Than TV’, evolving from
a legacy broadcaster to a more sustainable
media and entertainment business.
Taking the financials first. Total external
revenues were down 3% on the prior year as
cost of living pressures affected household
demand for goods and services and led
advertisers to trim their marketing budgets.
Adjusted EBITA1 declined 32% reflecting
both the drop in revenues and planned
investment in ITVX. Free cash flow was £361
million, up 29% vs 2022. The balance sheet
remains strong and the Board has proposed
a final dividend of 3.3p taking the dividend for
the full year to 5.0p, in line with the prior year.
This is a total return of around £200 million.
The Board has also announced a £235 million
share buyback which will be completed
within the next 18 months.
The media and entertainment industry
continues to evolve rapidly. Technology
advances are dramatically increasing the
choices available, not just in terms of
content, but also how, when and where it can
be consumed. The emergence of generative
AI is a potential game changer in the world of
production while the competitor set is
shifting, from national TV broadcasters to
international streamers and global tech
corporations who are increasingly the
gatekeepers to our audience. These
structural shifts are material and require
us to be on our mettle and take appropriate
action. We need to ensure our internal ways
of working are as sharp and agile as they
can be, that we are ready to take difficult
decisions to keep our cost base down and
have a clear strategy that is future focused
and plays to our strengths.
Our ‘More Than TV’ strategy has three main
objectives:
• Expand Studios
• Supercharge Streaming
• Optimise Broadcast
During the year we made good progress on
each of the three.
Studios grew revenue and profit to record
levels deploying its global scale and strength
to win business across all major genres and
geographies.
In streaming, ITVX had a successful launch
year, proving technically robust and attracting
large cohorts of new viewers with the quality
and depth of its content.
And our linear broadcast business continued
to demonstrate its extraordinary, continuing
ability to generate mass, simultaneous
audiences. In addition, innovations such as
the upgraded iteration of Planet V reinforced
ITV’s position as the clear leader for
advertisers in UK commercial television.
It is the blending of these three strategic
elements that makes ITV unique. Together
they form an integrated model that allows us
to consistently secure world-class content,
provides outstanding flexibility and reach for
UK advertisers and attracts the best writers
and producers to work with us. The model is
strengthened by our long-standing status as
a Public Service Broadcaster (PSB). A Media
Bill is progressing well through Parliament
and its final adoption into law will
fundamentally update the current regulatory
framework and provide enhanced, welcome
support to PSBs whose objective voice at a
time of such dynamic change has never been
more important.
1. Refer to APMs section for the reconciliation between our adjusted and statutory numbers.
ITV is a special organisation to be a part of
and it’s clear from the frequent engagement
surveys we run and our high levels of
colleague retention, that people like to work
here. They are proud of what we do, of the
lead we show on important issues whether
it’s mental health; diversity, equity and
inclusion; or of the open and respectful way
we try to treat each other. Nothing is ever
perfect and we are eager to find opportunities
to improve, but the values of this Company
are sound.
There have been a number of changes to our
Board during the year. Anna Manz, Mary Harris
and Duncan Painter stepped down and I would
like to thank them sincerely for their efforts.
The Board and the wider Company have
benefited enormously from their time with
us. In their place I am pleased to welcome
Dawn Allen and Marjorie Kaplan. Two highly
accomplished leaders who bring different
experiences to the Board table and from
whom I am sure we will learn much.
Finally my thanks to
Carolyn and the
leadership team for
their exceptional efforts
during some challenging
times and to all my
ITV colleagues for
their continuing
commitment and
passion for the cause.
ANDREW COSSLETT CBE
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
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ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Our strategy is aligned with the requirements of each of our stakeholders
so that we are creating and delivering value for all.
CUSTOMERS
VIEWERS AND SUBSCRIBERS
PARTNERS
Including but not limited to the
following:
Agencies and advertisers
We deliver advertisers value
through a unique combination
of mass simultaneous reach on
our linear TV channels, targeted
digital advertising powered by
Planet V – our proprietary
adtech platform, and through
commercial and creative
partnerships around our quality
programme brands on our linear
channels and ITVX.
Broadcasters, networks and
streamers
We deliver high-quality TV
productions globally, across a
range of genres which
broadcasters and streamers can
monetise through their own
business models.
Platforms
We have strong relationships with
aggregators who broadcast our
content and pay us for its
inclusion on their platforms.
Our content offering is varied and
high quality, which audiences can
watch and engage with, for free or
through a subscription, across a
variety of channels and platforms
in a trusted, brand-safe
environment.
We collaborate closely with our
partners and aim to cultivate
strong working relationships. We
ensure all suppliers understand
and adhere to our Supplier Code
of Conduct.
OUR COLLEAGUES, PROGRAMME
PARTICIPANTS AND EVERYONE
WE WORK WITH
CITIZENS
We protect, invest in and develop
our on and off-screen talent,
and create a culture that
nurtures them to be productive,
commercial and creative. People,
and their physical and mental
health and safety, are our priority
at ITV.
Refer to the
Our People section
for further details.
As a Public Service Broadcaster
(PSB) in the UK, ITV can help
shape culture for good. Our
provision of free, universally
accessible, high-quality content
along with a trusted news service,
helps to inform citizens, shape
public sentiment, drive national
conversations and support
democratic debate.
Refer to
Social Purpose
for further details.
See Our Commitment to Section
172 and the Stakeholder
Engagement section for further
details of ITV’s key
stakeholders and how we
engage with them.
SHAREHOLDERS, DEBT PROVIDERS
AND ANALYSTS
LEGISLATORS AND REGULATORS
Through the successful execution
of our strategic priorities, we will
create value for and deliver
returns for our investors (equity
and debt).
ITV takes its responsibilities and
obligations as a PSB seriously and
conducts business in line with the
appropriate laws and regulations,
to ensure we operate ethically
and responsibly.
Refer to the
Investment
Proposition section
for further details.
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
7
MARKET REVIEW
The markets in which we operate are dynamic, increasingly competitive
and rapidly changing. The global content market is large and attractive,
with all platforms needing access to the best content to attract viewers
at scale. Ongoing changes in viewing habits, coupled with an ever-evolving
advertising landscape, bring both challenges and opportunities to ITV.
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TREND ONE
TREND TWO
TREND THREE
Global demand for content
The global content market is large and attractive
with all platforms needing a mix of content to
succeed in a very competitive market. Going
forward we expect to see growth in key segments
of the global content market in which we operate,
including content licensing, streamers demand for
unscripted content and cost effective premium
scripted content. 2024 will be impacted by the
2023 US writers and actors strikes delaying
productions until 2025 and weaker demand from
free-to-air broadcasters (FTA) in Europe who are
holding back spend until they see more certainty
in the advertising market.
Fragmentation in viewing
and changing habits
While the average viewing time per person per day
remains stable at 4.5-5 hours per day (Source:
Ofcom), the competitor set has become
increasingly fragmented over time. From PSBs (e.g.
BBC, ITV), to global streaming services (e.g. Netflix,
Disney+), and user-generated video-sharing
platforms (e.g. YouTube, TikTok), viewers now have
an unparalleled level of choice and flexibility about
what, how, where and when they watch content.
The UK advertising market
The UK advertising market is worth £36 billion,
growing at 7% compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) in the past decade. Growth slowed in 2023
(forecast to be +3% in 2023 vs. +9% in 2022), with
high inflation leading to reduced marketing
budgets. There was also a decrease in venture
capital funding, which had funded significant
advertising activity in recent years from new
market entrants.
Total market growth has largely been driven by
online advertising, which is expected to be up 5% in
2023 and up 16% CAGR over the last ten years.
Online is the largest category of advertising spend
(75% of the market) followed by TV advertising
(14% of the market). (Source: AA WARC).
The TV advertising market is increasingly competitive,
with global streaming platforms (Amazon, Netflix,
Disney+) having now launched, or shortly set to
launch, streaming advertising propositions.
Size of global content market in 2023
Average viewing time per person per day
2023 UK advertising market
$226bn
(Source: Estimate from Ampere Analysis:
Feb 2024 – excludes spend from film studios)
4 hours 28 mins
(Source: Ofcom Media Nations. Previous 5-year
average of 5 hours per day – incl. COVID-19 years)
£36bn
(Source: AA WARC. 2022: £35 billion)
How we are responding
Delivery of ITV Studios’ strategic priorities will
ensure ITV gains share over the medium term. By
expanding our scripted and unscripted business
and further diversifying our customer base, ITV
can capture the growth in content spend in key
segments in which we operate including licensing
and demand from streaming platforms for
unscripted content and cost-effective premium
scripted content.
Growing our global formats ensures we have a
range of high-value formats which we can monetise
internationally, through production, format sales
and licensing. Our distribution business can also
capitalise on the value of our extensive catalogue
of formats and scripted content. This contributes
to our higher overall ITV Studios margin relative to
our industry peers.
As a vertically integrated producer broadcaster and
streamer, ITV Studios also benefits from demand
for its content from ITV’s FTA linear TV channels
and our free advertiser-funded streaming service,
ITVX, providing M&E with a strong and secure
content supply.
How we are responding
As a commercial PSB in the UK, we provide the
nation with the flexibility to watch content
whenever and wherever, while maximising
commercial value.
In December 2022, we launched ITVX which
provided a step-change in ITV’s streaming offering
and now has over 17,000 hours of free content.
This has led to significant growth year-on-year in
monthly active users of our streaming service, up
19% and streaming hours, up 26%.
Live viewing, whether via ITVX or on linear TV
channels, remains a major focus: ITV is home to
more commercial audiences of scale than any
other broadcaster or streaming platform in the UK.
In 2024, we will invest around £1.275 billion in
high-quality, trusted content across a wide range
of genres, including large family entertainment
shows, sport, drama, and news which will drive
both video on demand and live viewing on ITVX,
and mass audiences on linear TV channels.
How we are responding
ITV offers our advertising clients something no
streamer can – mass simultaneous reach, targeted
advertising at scale and commercial and creative
partnerships in a brand-safe environment. This
remains a considerable market differentiator along
with our deep, established relationships with
advertisers and agencies.
ITV’s FTA linear TV channels offer unique scale and
reach and it remains a cost-efficient and important
part of marketing campaigns.
ITVX delivers the scale and breadth of digital
audiences which provides inventory for Planet V,
our addressable advertising platform, to create and
deliver targeted advertising at scale. This
underpins our ability to compete for digital video
budgets and gain share in this growing addressable
advertising market, illustrated by our 19% growth in
digital revenues in 2023.
Link to risk
Link to strategy
Link to risk
Link to strategy
Link to risk
Link to strategy
2
E
4
S O
3
S O
Key
E Expand Studios globally
S Supercharge Streaming
O Optimise Broadcast
Refer to the Strategy section in the CEO’s Statement and to the Operating and Financial Performance Review for further details
8
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT
EXECUTING
OUR MORE
THAN TV
STRATEGY
The successful execution of ITV’s strategy of investing in and growing both
production in ITV Studios, and ITVX in Media and Entertainment (M&E), is evident
through the robust financial and operating performance in 2023, despite a
challenging macroeconomic environment.
ITV Studios delivered record revenues
and profits as the business continued to
demonstrate its strong market position,
with outstanding creative deliveries globally.
In Media and Entertainment, ITVX drove
significant growth in digital viewing and
advertising revenues, with the investment
on plan. It was the year’s biggest and most
successful streaming launch in the UK,
firmly establishing its place in the market,
and winning the award for Best On-Demand
Service at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
Financial highlights
2023 was the second-highest revenue
outturn in ITV’s history. Total ITV group
revenue was down 2% and total external
revenue declined by just 3% in 2023 despite
the severe decline in linear advertising.
ITV’s growth drivers continued to perform
well, with 4% growth in ITV Studios and
19% growth in digital revenues helping
to substantially offset a 15% decline in
linear advertising due to the challenging
advertising market. In total, M&E revenues
were down 7% in the year.
As expected, group adjusted EBITA was
down 32% at £489 million which reflects the
decline in linear advertising revenue and the
planned investment in ITVX. Adjusted EPS
was down 41% at 7.8p. We have reached a
peak level of net investment in our streaming
business in 2023 and we continue to expect
to grow profits from here.
Statutory profit before tax was down 61%
and statutory EPS decreased by 51% to 5.2p.
There was strong cash generation in the year,
with 102% profit to cash conversion and a
robust balance sheet, net debt of £553
million and net debt to adjusted EBITDA
leverage of 1.0x.
In line with ITV’s dividend policy, the Board
has declared a final dividend of 3.3p (2022:
3.3p), giving an ordinary dividend of 5.0p per
share for the full year 2023 (2022: 5.0p)
As announced on 01 March 2024, ITV sold its
50% holding of BritBox International to BBC
Studios for a total consideration of £255
million. The Board will return the entire net
proceeds to shareholders through a share
buyback of £235 million which we expect to
complete within the next 18 months.
Our Purpose, Vision and More
than TV Strategy
The strong operating performance in 2023
demonstrates that the strategy we started
implementing in 2018, and evolved in 2022
with the launch of ITVX, is working. We have
been able to withstand macroeconomic
headwinds because of the actions we have
taken to reposition ITV towards higher,
sustainable growth areas in global
production and digital. The business is
demonstrably more balanced and has strong
delivery momentum as we continue to drive
our strategy.
The media landscape continues to evolve
rapidly and is more competitive for viewers
and advertising, with recent new entrants.
We are in a far stronger position than we were
in 2018, to focus on ITV’s value drivers and
competitive advantages and are confident
that we can compete, as evidenced by a very
strong programming slate: Mr Bates vs The
Post Office is the highest audience drama on
any platform for five years; Fool me Once by
ITV Studios’ Quay Street Productions is in
Netflix’s top 10 English-language dramas of
all time, and ITV Commercial consistently
outperforms the market.
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
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ITV Studios
ITV Studios is a scaled and global creator,
owner and distributor of high-quality content
operating in 13 countries and across 60+
labels; diversified by genre, geography and
customer in the key creative markets around
the world.
ITV Studios benefits from its scale as the
largest producer in the UK, one of the largest
unscripted producers in the US and one of
the top three in the majority of the remaining
international markets in which it operates.
ITV Studios is a trusted supplier with
well-established relationships with key
content buyers and leading creative talent
in those markets.
In 2023 we further delivered against our four
strategic priorities (as set out in the Strategy
section on the following page) and we remain
on track to achieve all our 2026 KPI targets
and deliver a 5% total organic revenue CAGR
target from 2021 to 2026 – ahead of the
market, and operate at industry-leading
margins of 13 to 15%.
We have grown our scripted business with
316 hours of high-end scripted content
delivered in 2023, an increase of 14% from
the prior year. This has helped to further
diversify our customer base, with almost
a third of Studios revenues coming from
streaming platforms in 2023, up from
22% in 2022.
We also continued to monetise our global
formats with 19 formats in 2023 sold in three
or more countries (2022: 19). Supported by
our integrated model the final priority is to
attract and retain the leading talent in the
industry. We have seen outstanding creative
deliveries from recent talent deals and
acquisitions including Fool Me Once and
After the Flood from Quay Street
Productions, One Piece from Tomorrow
Studios, and Big Beasts from Plimsoll
Productions.
The global content market is large and
attractive, with all platforms needing a mix
of content to succeed in a very competitive
landscape to attract audiences. We expect
to see growth in key segments in which we
operate – content licensing, demand from
streaming platforms for unscripted content
and cost effective premium scripted content.
ITV Studios is very well positioned to take
advantage of this growth and to grow our
market share over the medium term, driven
by our scale and diversified position, our
investment in development and creative
talent and our high-quality IP.
As previously guided, 2024 will be impacted
delays in production as a result of the writers’
and actors’ strike in the US, combined with
the continuation of weaker demand from FTA
broadcasters in Europe who are holding back
spend until they see more certainty in the TV
advertising market.
AN AUDIENCE
WITH KYLIE aired on
ITV in December 2023.
THE LONG SHADOW is
a true-crime drama and
was the most-watched
series of the year
on ITVX.
Our purpose remains unchanged, we
entertain and connect with millions of people
in the UK and globally, reflecting and shaping
culture and building brands, with brilliant
content and creativity.
Our vision is that by 2026 ITV will be a leader
in UK advertiser-funded streaming, and an
expanding global force in content. We are
focused on three strategic pillars to deliver
this vision:
• Expand our UK and
global production business
• Supercharge our
Streaming business, and
• Optimise our
Broadcast business
These pillars are underpinned by a number
of priorities, and we have set key performance
indicators and targets to deliver by 2026.
With the strong progress we have made to
date, we are on track and confident we can
deliver against these targets. The following
page provides further detail on our strategic
priorities, why they are important and what
they drive.
Integrated producer broadcaster
and streamer
ITV has a unique market position as a global
and diversified vertically integrated producer
broadcaster and streamer with content
central to everything we do. This model
benefits both divisions and therefore
the Group:
For ITV Studios it:
• Provides a sustainable base of core
commissions which gives stability
in a changeable industry;
• Helps with attracting and retaining
industry-leading talent which is key
to a successful creative business;
• Provides a platform to make Studios’
content famous and enables cross-
promotion, supporting the international
sale of our content and formats, and
the monetisation of our IP across our
business models
For M&E it:
• Provides access to world-class content for
ITV’s linear TV channels and ITVX, driving
viewing growth;
• Enables deeper and more creative and
productive partnerships with advertisers,
driving revenue;
• Helps protect from content price inflation
For the Group, this gives us a real competitive
advantage, providing attractive economics
as we operate across the entire value chain,
and benefit from diversification in a
cyclical industry.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT CONTINUED
Media & Entertainment (M&E)
ITV M&E is the largest commercial
broadcaster and streamer in the UK,
delivering unrivalled audience scale and
reach. It is underpinned by two strategic
pillars; Supercharge Streaming and
Optimise Broadcast.
By Supercharging Streaming, we aim to drive
digital revenues through ITVX and Planet V
(ITV’s proprietary, self-service programmatic
addressable advertising platform).
We launched ITVX on time and our investment
is on plan and on budget. In our first full year
of ITVX we delivered a step change in viewing
and digital revenues were up 19%. We
increased the number of monthly active users
by almost 20%, up to 12.5 million and those
users are spending more time engaging with
the platform with streaming hours up 26%
to 1.5 billion hours. Brand awareness is now
up to over 90% and we have seen a significant
increase in streaming hours for light viewers
who are harder to reach, up 65%, and our key
target audience of 25-54s which was up 47%.
The key focus of ITVX is our ad-funded
proposition which is where we have
channelled our efforts and resources in
its launch year. In addition, we have ITVX
Premium, a subscription service, which is
primarily an ad-free offering for viewers. The
number of paid-for UK subscribers declined
marginally year on year as we started
transitioning subscribers from our standalone
app, BritBox UK, into ITVX Premium, combined
with the closure of the ITV Catch Up service
on Amazon Prime Video Channels.
In 2024, the BritBox UK service on Amazon
Prime Video Channels and the Britbox UK
standalone app will close as we further
simplify our offering. This will consolidate
all our subscribers under one ITVX Premium
brand and will give us complete ownership
of the subscriber base. The closure of these
services is expected to impact subscriber
numbers and subscription revenues in 2024.
Planet V is the platform enabling the
growth of ITV’s digital advertising – it is a
market-leading addressable advertising
platform which creates and delivers
targeted advertising at scale.
It enables us to create sophisticated
audience segments and serve ads directly
to them. All the major agencies are using
Planet V and see it as an intuitive, easy-to-
buy self-serve platform, allowing them to
streamline their approach to planning and
buying. ITV has one of the largest first-party
data sets in the UK, with over 40 million
registered users on ITVX. Agencies and
advertisers can make use of this alongside
their own data and other first and third-party
datasets, to create more precise addressable
campaigns. Advertisers are prepared to pay
more for this increasingly sophisticated and
valuable ad inventory.
OUR MORE THAN TV STRATEGY
Our strategy is focused on three strategic pillars 1) Expand Studios; 2) Supercharge
Streaming; and 3) Optimise Broadcast. These pillars are underpinned by a number of
priorities (detailed below) to ensure that ITV is best placed to capitalise on the
opportunities presented by the rapidly changing viewing, content production and
advertising environments. These pillars are not independent. They work together –
reinforcing each other, creating synergies and delivering value.
To support the successful delivery of the strategy, we have key
performance indicators (KPIs) and related targets to be delivered
from 2021 to 2026 which we are on track to deliver. The key to
successfully delivering this strategy is digitally transforming
everything we do.
The successful execution of our strategy to date has made ITV more
robust. ITV has a leading, scaled, global Studios business, a high
growth Streaming service and a cash generative linear advertising
business. This ensures that we are well placed to grow profits from
here as we continue to drive material efficiencies, invest behind our
strategic priorities and deliver returns to shareholders.
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2026 STUDIOS
TARGET
Grow total organic
revenues by 5% on
average per annum to
2026 – which is ahead
of the market at a
margin of 13% to 15%
expand
STUDIOS
Further expanding by genre,
geography and customer and
growing faster than market
supercharge
STREAMING
Driving digital viewing and
revenue through ITVX and Planet V,
ITV’s leading addressable
advertising platform
Vertically
Integrated
Producer
Broadcaster
and Streamer
optimise
BROADCAST
Digitally transforming as we
continue to attract commercial
broadcast audiences of
unparalleled scale
2026 M&E TARGET
Grow digital revenues
to at least £750m
across M&E
ITV Studios – STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND KPI TARGETS
Expanding UK and global productions is central to ITV’s strategy. ITV Studios’ ambition is to be a leading
force in the creation and ownership of intellectual property (IP), global content production and distribution.
We are achieving this by focusing on our four strategic priorities to drive revenue and profit growth.
PRIORITIES
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
FY 2026 TARGET
FY 2023
WHAT IT DRIVES
1. Grow our
scripted business
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To meet the growing
global demand for
scripted content
particularly from
streaming platforms
400 high-end scripted
hours per annum
316 hours
(2022: 276 hours)
2. Grow our
global formats
business
3. Further diversify
our customer base
To maximise international
monetisation of
high-value formats
20 formats sold in three or
more countries
19 formats
(2022: 19 formats)
To capture the growth in
content spend from local
and global streaming
platforms
30% of total revenues
from streaming platforms
32%
(2022: 22%)
4. Attract and retain
leading talent
Key to creative success
of a Studios business
N/A
N/A
Growth in total
organic revenue of 5%
on average per annum
to 20261 which is
ahead of the market
Delivers adjusted
EBITA2 margins of 13%
to 15%
In 2023, total organic
revenue grew 3% at
an adjusted EBITA
margin of 13.2%
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT – STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND KPI TARGETS
ITV’s M&E strategy is based on two core pillars: Supercharge Streaming and Optimise Broadcast, with
strategic priorities to drive growth in digital revenues and maintain strength in linear.
PRIORITIES
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
FY 2026 TARGET
FY 2023
WHAT IT DRIVES
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1. Attract more monthly
active users to ITVX
2. Increase the
time users spend
on ITVX
3. Increase UK
subscriber base
ITV’s reach is key to
retaining and attracting
advertisers
ITV’s scale is key to
retaining and attracting
advertisers
Monetising ITV viewers
who are willing to pay for
ad-free and additional
content
Grow monthly active
users to 20 million
12.5 million
(2022: 10.5 million)
Grow total streaming
hours to 2 billion hours
1,505 million hours
(2022: 1,192 million
hours)
Grow subscribers to
2.5 million
1.3 million
(2022: 1.4 million)
4. Maintain our strength
in delivering mass
linear audiences
ITV’s mass linear
audiences remains very
important to UK
advertisers
Maintain a share of at
least 80% of the top
1,000 programmes
91%
(2022: 93%)
5. Maintain ITV’s position
in UK broadcast
market
ITV’s scale remains very
important to UK
advertisers
Maintain a share of
commercial viewing of
33%
32.6%
(2022: 33.8%)
Growth in digital
revenues to at least
£750m by 2026
Revenues from linear
TV advertising,
commercial and
creative partnerships,
and sponsorship
In 2023, total digital
revenues were
£490 million, up 19%
year-on-year
1. Average annual growth rate from 2021.
2. Refer to APMs for detail on our adjusted measures.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT CONTINUED
This capability underpins our ability
to now compete for online video budgets,
particularly budgets allocated to platforms
such as YouTube, and take share in this
growing addressable advertising market.
The progress we have made in Streaming and
against our KPIs means that we are confident
of delivering at least £750 million of digital
revenues by 2026, with the focus continuing
to be ad-funded.
We have started 2024 really well and will
further enhance ITVX in 2024 building on
the momentum we have. We will increase
the depth and breadth of content, deliver
continuous improvements in the product
and user experience, and expand its
distribution and marketing.
Within Broadcast, we have now digitally
transformed the business and will continue
to do so as we become increasingly agile and
adapt to changing viewer habits. Internally
this means we are always looking at ways to
increase our efficiency and productivity,
whether that is through the operational use
of AI or ensuring our cost base is the right
shape and size. Externally for viewers, it is
ensuring we continue to engage our
audiences through live content such as
sports and successful entertainment shows
to continue to deliver mass audiences which
are so valuable to advertisers, together with
the personalisation and targeting that comes
with ITVX.
ITV continues to be the best destination for
advertisers to reach valuable mass
audiences in the UK. Our share of those mass
linear TV audiences continued with over 90%
of the top 1,000 programmes appearing on
ITV and our share of commercial viewing has
also been broadly maintained at just under
33%. This robust performance demonstrates
ITV’s unique market-leading position in
broadcast in the UK
What sets ITV apart from all its
competitors commercially is the ability
to deliver four things:
• Mass simultaneous reach,
• Sophisticated targeted advertising
• Commercial and creative partnerships
• A brand-safe and trusted environment.
All of this ensures that we can remain
highly competitive in an increasingly
competitive market.
ITVX’s strong performance has continued
into 2024. Total advertising revenue (TAR) is
expected to be up 3% in Q1 compared to the
same period in 2023, with continued strong
growth in digital advertising revenues.
Refer to the Operating and Financial
Performance Review for further details of
ITV Studios and M&E’s strategic priorities
and how the divisions performed in the year.
SHETLAND is a crime drama
produced by Silverprint
Pictures (an ITV Studios
label) for the BBC.
THREE LITTLE BIRDS
is a drama written by
Sir Lenny Henry and inspired
by his mother’s journey to
Britain in the late 1950s.
It aired on ITV1 and ITVX
in October 2023.
Cost and efficiency programme
Our existing cost saving programme of £150
million between 2019 and 2026, has delivered
£130 million of annualised savings to date
and we are on track to deliver the full £150
million by 2025 – one year early.
We are now in the early stages of a new
strategic restructuring and efficiency
programme across the Group to reshape the
cost base, enhance profitability, and support
the growth drivers of Studios and Streaming.
We are building on the foundations we have
established in digital and data and the
significant progress we have made in
transforming ITV from a linear broadcaster to
a multi-platform broadcaster and streamer.
Savings will come mainly from technology
and operational efficiencies, organisational
redesign across Group, M&E and ITV Studios
and permanent reductions in discretionary
spend across the Group.
By the end of 2024 we expect the programme
to have delivered incremental annualised
savings of at least £50 million gross per year,
giving a £30 million in year gross benefit in
2024. There will be c.£50 million of one-off
costs to deliver these savings. The ongoing
programme is designed to deliver further
incremental material savings over a
number of years which will further build
ITV’s resilience. We will provide further
information as the programme progresses.
Our Social Purpose
We reach millions of viewers globally,
through our content, and in the UK,
through our linear channels and ITVX.
We are proud of our position as a Public
Service Broadcaster (PSB) in the UK, telling
the stories that are at the heart of culture
and society. We have the opportunity to
advocate for positive change from social
issues to environmental matters and beyond,
providing the UK public with unbiased
information and diverse perspectives.
Our Social Purpose strategy has four focus
areas: Better Health; Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion; Climate Action and Giving Back.
2023 saw us reach the major milestone for
Better Health in surpassing our five-year goal
which was to encourage audiences to take
over 200 million actions to support their
mental or physical wellbeing. We hit an
extraordinary 249 million actions by the
end of 2023 with our flagship mental health
campaign, Britain Get Talking, playing a
significant role in achieving our target.
Our Giving Back activity in 2023 continued with
our biggest fundraising event, Soccer Aid for
UNICEF. Since its launch in 2006, over £90
million has been raised. As we move forward,
our Giving Back work will shift towards
supporting the next generation called
Better Futures.
THE BAY returned for its fourth series on ITV in 2023.
It is produced by Tall Story Pictures (an ITV Studios label).
Climate Action remains a priority across our
whole organisation, ensuring we achieve Net
Zero by 2050 in how we make, broadcast and
stream our shows, and use our reach to
inform and inspire audiences to make
greener choices. Our first Climate Transition
Plan is published alongside this report.
ITV continues to consolidate our Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion work. We have
championed diversity across our biggest
shows introducing a range of new voices
on-screen and off-screen and have created
new opportunities for under-represented
groups to thrive in our business.
Refer to the Social Purpose section for
further details on the work we have done
in 2023.
Duty of Care
Supporting the mental and physical health
and safety of colleagues and others who
work with ITV and those participating in our
productions remains a key priority. We are
committed to addressing promptly, fairly and
confidentially all concerns and monitoring
the channels we have in place to ensure they
remain appropriate. During 2023 we
continued to strengthen our Speaking Up
programme by driving continuous
communication, awareness and training
of our speaking up channels for individuals
to register concerns, including our speaking
up hotline, SafeCall. I continue to chair the
Duty of Care Operating Board which
meets regularly.
Following the outcome of the external KC
Review, which found that ITV’s handling of
the case surrounding Phillip Schofield and
This Morning was adequate and appropriate.
In 2024 we will focus on implementing the
recommendations arising from the review.
This includes enhanced speaking up related
training focused on different parts of the
Group and further strengthening our
complaints handling processes.
Regulation
The Media Bill which is currently working its
way through Parliament, will update the legal
and regulatory framework for television,
particularly delivered online. This should help
ensure that content from PSBs, including ITV,
will be included and easily discoverable
on all major streaming platforms, on fair
commercial terms. Once the Bill becomes
law, we will remain fully engaged with
Ofcom and the government throughout
any subsequent processes necessary for
its full implementation.
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In May 2023, we submitted our application
to Ofcom for the renewal of our Channel 3
licenses, which expire on 31 December 2024.
We are fully engaged in the process, which
we expect to conclude in the first half of 2024.
Colleagues
Our colleagues are central to everything that
we do and are fundamental to the success of
ITV. They have played a significant role in
delivering our strategy effectively this year
and I am incredibly grateful for the hard work
and commitment all our colleagues show.
I always appreciate how our people love
collaborating with each other and with so
many partners externally, and how motivated
they are to be part of making great shows
that lift people and change people’s lives.
We have continued to invest in the
development of our colleagues and in
ensuring we have an inclusive culture where
everyone can be their authentic selves. I am
pleased that in our 2023 Engagement and
Culture Survey, 75% of colleagues who
responded, feel like they belong at ITV.
In 2024 we will be running a series of
Roadshows across ITV and I am really looking
forward to meeting many of our colleagues
from all areas of the business. With their
input, commitment and energy, ITV will
continue to successfully execute our strategy.
Outlook
We have made great progress towards
our 2026 KPIs. 2023 was the year of peak
investment for Streaming, which together
with the successful execution of our
strategy and the efficiencies delivered to
date have made ITV more robust. ITV has
a leading, scaled, global Studios business,
a high growth Streaming service and a
cash generative linear advertising business.
This ensures that we are well placed to
grow profits from here as we continue to
drive material efficiencies, invest behind
our strategic priorities and deliver returns
to shareholders.
CAROLYN MCCALL
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Our KPIs and related targets for 2026 align our performance and accountability
with our strategic priorities. This is detailed further in the Strategy section of the
Chief Executive’s Statement.
All KPIs are reported on a six-month basis. The following are reported quarterly: ITV Studios total revenue growth, total digital revenue,
total streaming hours, share of commercial viewing and share of top 1,000 commercial broadcast TV programmes.
Refer to the Operating and Financial Performance Review for further details on the performance of all our KPIs.
ITV GROUP
Adjusted EPS1
Adjusted EPS represents the adjusted
profit after tax1 attributable to each equity
share in the year. It is an important measure
as we aim to create long-term value for our
shareholders.
Performance
Adjusted EPS decreased by 41% from 13.2p
to 7.8p. Strong growth in ITV Studios
adjusted EBITA1, up 10%, was offset by a
decline in total advertising revenues (TAR),
down 8%, and an increase in M&E costs
from the planned investment in content for
ITVX, higher streaming related costs and
third-party commercial payaways.
2023
7.8p
‑41% on 2022
2020
2021
2022
2023
10.9
15.3
13.2
7.8
Cost savings
Cost savings are permanent savings to the
business. Managing our cost base and
mitigating the impact of inflation is key as
we aim to run our business as efficiently as
possible and fund investments in line with
our strategic priorities.
Performance
We delivered £24 million of permanent
cost savings in 2023, which is ahead of the
£15 million in year target. To date, we have
delivered £130 million of our 2019 to 2026
target of £150 million.
2023
£130m
cumulative savings
since 2018
We are now in the early stages of a new
strategic restructuring and efficiency
programme across the Group which will
deliver incremental annualised savings
of at least £50 million gross per year, giving
a £30 million in year gross benefit in 2024.
2026 Target
Deliver over £150 million of cumulative savings between 2018
and 2026
Profit to cash conversion1
One of ITV’s strengths is its cash
generation, reflecting our ongoing tight
management of working capital balances.
Profit to cash conversion serves as a key
indicator in measuring our effectiveness. It
is calculated as our adjusted cash flow as a
proportion of adjusted EBITA1.
Performance
Profit to cash conversion was 102% in
the year. The strong outturn compared to
2022 was due a favourable movement in
working capital from the unwind of
programme rights and inventory previously
built up for the launch of ITVX. In addition,
there has been a reduction in production
inventories predominantly in the US as a
result of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strike.
2023
102%
2020
2021
2022
2023
138
80
75
102
2026 Target
Maintain at around 85%
1.
A full reconciliation between our adjusted and statutory results is provided in the APMs section
EXPAND STUDIOS
UK AND GLOBAL PRODUCTION
ITV Studios total organic revenue growth2
ITV Studios total organic revenue growth
measures the scale and success of our
global studios business. It includes
revenues from programmes sold to M&E,
which as a vertically integrated producer,
broadcaster and streamer, is an important
part of our business.
Performance
Total organic revenue was up 3% following a
strong 2022 which was up 14%. Organic
revenue excludes the benefit of our
acquisitions of Plimsoll Productions and
Lingo Pictures in 2022, and the
unfavourable impact of a £15 million foreign
exchange movement.
ITV Studios total revenue grew 4% to
£2,170 million.
ITV Studios adjusted EBITA2 margin %
This is the key profitability measure used
across the ITV Studios business. The
margin is calculated on ITV Studios total
revenue.
Performance
ITV Studios adjusted EBITA margin was
13.2% (2022: 12.4%), which is restored
within the targeted range.
Total high‑end scripted hours
Total high-end scripted hours is an
important measure in assessing the
success of our strategic priority, to grow our
scripted business. High-end scripted hours
include new commissions or returning
franchises that have a higher cost per hour
than continuing drama.
Performance
The number of high-end scripted hours
produced by ITV Studios increased by 14%
to 316 hours in 2023 driven by titles such as
Big Beasts, Fool Me Once and Love Island
in the UK, and Twin Love and Physical
in the US.
Number of formats sold in three or more countries3
The Studios business is focused on
maximising the international monetisation
of high-value formats. A good measure of
international success is when a format is
commissioned in three or more countries in
the year.
Performance
The number of formats sold in three or
more countries was 19, which was flat
year-on-year. Recent formats that have
sold in three or more countries include;
My Mum, Your Dad; Pranked; and
Song of my Life.
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+3% on 2022
2020
0
2021
2022
2023 3
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31
Note: 2020 was down 25% due to the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2026 Target
Grow by 5% on average per annum (from 2021)
2023
13.2%
+0.8 basis points
on 2022
2020
2021
2022
2023
2026 Target
Deliver in the 13% to 15% range
11
12
12.4
13.2
2020
112
2021
2022
2023
2020
2021
2022
2023
175
276
316
14
15
19
19
2023
316hrs
+14% on 2022
2026 Target
Grow to 400 hours
2023
19
formats
flat on 2022
2026 Target
Grow to 20 formats
% of ITV Studios total revenue from streaming platforms
Over the medium term, the key driver of
growth in the global content market is
expected to be from streaming platforms.
The percentage of ITV Studios total
revenue from streaming platforms is an
important measure of delivering its
strategic priority of further diversifying its
customer base and meeting its 2026 total
organic revenue growth target.
Performance
The percentage of ITV Studios total
revenue from streaming platforms grew to
32%, hitting the target three years early.
Meeting this target is impacted by the
phasing of deliveries and therefore our
target is to maintain at least 30%. Notable
deliveries to streaming platforms in 2023
included: Squid Games: The Challenge
and One Piece for Netflix, and Franklin for
Apple TV+.
2023
32%
+10 basis points
on 2022
2020
10
2021
13
2022
2023
22
32
2026 Target
Grow to 30% of ITV Studios total revenue
2. Our APMs are defined within the APMs section of this report. It also includes a full reconciliation between our adjusted and statutory results
3. Spin-offs such as Love Island Games, are considered distinct from the original format (i.e. Love Island) for the purpose of this indicator
16
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS CONTINUED
M&E
SUPERCHARGE STREAMING
Total digital revenue1
M&E
OPTIMISE BROADCAST
Share of top 1,000 commercial broadcast TV programmes5
Total digital revenue comprises all revenue
streams from our digital businesses,
predominantly digital advertising. It is an
important measure of the acceleration of
our digital strategy as we supercharge
streaming.
Performance
Total digital revenue grew 19% to £490
million. The growth was driven by digital
advertising revenue, which was up 21%.
This was marginally offset by a decline in
competition revenues through ITV Win.
2023
£490m
+19% on 2022
2020
2021
2022
2023
248
347
411
490
Maintaining our strength in delivering mass
commercial linear TV audiences enables
ITV to attract and retain advertisers and
command a premium from them.
ITV plc Annual Report and Accounts 2023
17
I
S
T
R
A
T
E
G
C
R
E
P
O
R
T
93
93
93
91
32.8
33.1
33.8
32.6
Performance
Our 2023 share was 91%, which was down
2% points year-on-year, with 2022
benefiting significantly from the FIFA World
Cup. In 2023, dramas such as Unforgotten
and The Bay, entertainment formats such
as Britain’s Got Talent and Saturday Night
Takeaway and sporting events such as
Rugby World Cup, helped to maintain ITV’s
strong commercial mass audience
proposition.
2023
91%
‑2 basis points on
2022
2020
2021
2022
2023
2026 Target
Maintain a share of at least 80%
Share of commercial viewing6
Maintaining ITV’s number one position in
the UK broadcast market helps us attract
and retain advertisers and is vital to
maximising advertising revenues.
Performance
Share of commercial viewing decreased by
1.2% points to 32.6% in 2023, with strong
viewing for the FIFA World Cup benefiting
our share in 2022.
2023
32.6%
‑1.2 basis points on
2022
2020
2021
2022
2023
2026 Target
Maintain at 33%
5. The share of top 1,000 commercial broadcast TV programmes is measured by BARB based on viewing figures. This includes TV viewing from transmission and seven days
post-transmission on catch up, as well as six weeks prior to the transmission window. It excludes programmes with a duration of Continue reading text version or see original annual report in PDF
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