One of the UK’s most-watched TV shows lost £1m despite being watched by an audience of 13.5 million. The ITV show “Mr Bates Vs The Post Office” failed to recoup its costs after failing to sell to more than 12 broadcasters worldwide. With sustained increases in production costs, creating productions that sell to international markets is essential.
The most popular episode of the four part ITV drama achieved an audience of four million. This is the maximum “on the night” viewing figure you can expect according to ITV. Five years ago the show may have attracted an audience of six to seven million. Rising costs and falling viewer numbers is a challenge faced by many terrestrial broadcasters.
