Television

ISBA’s TV Action Group represents around £2.5 billion advertising spend per annum, which equates to almost two thirds of the UK’s total annual television advertising budget. The group has influenced much of ISBA’s advertising policy and maintains constructive relationships with government and regulators.

The TV Action Group meets six times a year and addresses topical issues affecting advertisers. This can range from production costs, late copy delivery and airtime trading, to the impact of the proposed European directive on advertising minutage. 

One of the group’s most significant legacies is the introduction of the Contract Rights Renewal (CRR) price control mechanism. ISBA urged its imposition when the two sales houses Carlton and Granada merged to form ITV plc in 2003. The group feared that ITV’s magnitude would allow them to leverage their dominant position, increasing airtime prices and their share of the market. CRR links the share of budgets ITV can command from advertisers to its audience delivery. We estimate it has saved advertisers almost £1.5 billion. More recently, CRR returned to the group’s agenda with the announcement by Ofcom that they will review it in 2008.

For further information about the work of the TV Action Group please contact Michelle Sherlock.