ITV admit Daybreak disappointment
ITV has finally admitted Daybreak, which has been tweaked so many times in its short life it currently looks like a grumpier GMTV, has ‘under-performed’.
The broadcaster, and their spin machine, had tried many unsuccessful attempts to get the press to suggest Daybreak has been a little more successful than it really is. Producers claiming a ratings peak of over one million was something to shout about, neglecting the fact the BBC rival at the same time also peaked, with vastly more viewers.
Finally, according to the Guardian newspaper, the network bosses have admitted Daybreak really has been far from the runaway hit they had hoped for. Since the show bedded in, having launched in September 2010, it has managed to attract around 100,000 LESS viewers than its cosy predecessor GMTV at the same time in 2009.
Viewers of GMTV have been incredibly vocal about their distaste towards ITV for axing the 17-year old brand in order to give Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley a new toy to play with.
Both were lured away from the BBC’s One Show in order to revive the ITV Breakfast slot, which had seemingly fallen out of favour with ITV executives.
GMTV fans were also annoyed that the final programme was not marked with any significant farewell, a snub they felt to their many loyal years of watching the show which made Fiona Phillips, Andrew Castle and Kate Garroway housewives favourites.
In their yearly results ITV reveal “certain slots in the schedule have been disappointing. “Daybreak has not performed as we would have hoped,”
ITV point out that Daybreak does bring in a more ‘higher quality’ of audience, however the audience appreciation of the programme is often the worst ranked of all output from the mainstream channels.
