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ITV Bid Unlikely - as the show is too expensive

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A bid for the rights of Big Brother from ITV is unlikely – as the price for the show is too high

ITV Executives have been weighing up the possibility of snatching Big Brother from Channel 5 to boost programming across its expanding portfolio of channels.

According to The Guardian, Big Brother could be used to give new reality channel, ITVBe a major boost against other networks. It has even been discussed that there is a possibility of splitting up Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother, and showing them on different channels.

However, it is thought that a bid for the show will be unlikely as the costs for the show for a year are around £20 Million.

“It has been discussed, these thing are, it is not a completely ridiculous idea,” said one source. “But it is quite expensive to run on digital channels, I can’t see it happening.” However, one media executive said the plan is ‘“still boiling” and no solid decision had been taken.

ITV declined to comment. If ITV did purchase Big Brother, it would mark the second time the reality show has moved, after Channel 5 purchased the rights to the format in 2011 following Channel 4′s decision to axe it.

Meanwhile, Big Brother: Power Trip continues on Channel 5 tonight.

http://bigbrother247.co.uk/day-5-big...-itv-unlikely/

This article goes into a little more detail..

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ITV executives have weighed the merits of snatching Big Brother from Channel 5 – the broadcaster’s latest two-year deal expires at the end of the year – to boost programming across its expanding portfolio of channels.

The huge success of ITV2, the biggest digital channel in the UK, has led ITV to launch a spin-off channel with a core focus on reality and non-scripted shows.

The female-focused channel, called ITVBe, will become the home of shows including The Only Way is Essex and Real Housewives.

Big Brother, and its celebrity stablemate, could be used to give newcomer ITVBe a major boost against rival channels. Or Big Brother and CBB could be split across channels.

It is thought that discussions at ITV are unlikely to progress to a bid for Big Brother, because the rights remain at a level of about £20m per year.

“It has been discussed, these thing are, it is not a completely ridiculous idea,” said one source. “But it is quite expensive to run on digital channels, I can’t see it happening.” However, one media executive said the plan is ‘“still boiling” and no solid decision had been taken.

ITV declined to comment.

ITV has previously been named as a potential bidder for Big Brother – albeit back in 2006 when the show was on Channel 4 – while ITV2, Living and Sky1 have also previously been highlighted as channels with a good potential content fit.

Big Brother’s popularity may have waned in recent years – ratings peaked in 2002 when 9.2 million tuned in to see Kate Lawler win – but it retains a loyal fan base of several million young viewers, a key demographic for advertisers.

In 2011, Richard Desmond struck a deal to take over the franchise after a decade on Channel 4, with the enduring popularity of Big Brother a critical factor in the turnaround of heavily loss-making Channel 5.

While the threat of ITV snatching the rights looks unlikely, Viacom, the new US owner of Channel 5, will be mindful of the need to shore up key programming deals to maintain profitability.

As well as Big Brother, whose rights are handled by Endemol production subsidiary Initial, Channel 5 is facing a TV rights renegotiation for Neighbours. The 10-year deal with producer Fremantle is due to expire in 2017, however negotiations are expected to start as soon as next year.

In 2007, Channel 5 made a shock swoop for the rights to the Australian hit soap, which had aired on the BBC for 21 years, with ITV also named as a bidding party. While the show no longer provides the huge ratings it once did, it remains a reliable audience magnet for Channel 5.

Viacom will also have to address the looming schedule and ratings hole that will be left by the Crime Scene Investigation franchise, a big ratings staple on Channel 5 for more than a decade, as it begins to wind down on-screen.

The Guardian

I'd rather BB die than ITV getting its grubby hands on it.

Me too. I'd rather it end than go to one of those channels.

I think we're headed for the day when Celebrity Big Brother is the only one that airs. It's the only one that garners any interest anymore.

Besides, if it's struggling to keep the ratings up over the summer on channel 5 I can't see it doing well on these ITVBe channels or anything. It really would be a waste of money for them.

Didn't know Big brother was so expensive

I'd rather it be on ITV than Channel 5 tbh, but each to their own I guess.

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Originally Posted by Hayden (Post 6919967)

I'd rather it be on ITV than Channel 5 tbh, but each to their own I guess.

I agree sort of. I think they'd do well with it, but then it would be horrible if they took BB and made it unrecognizeable.

I'm happy with the way it is now tbh, I just would prefer to see what direction ITV would take it in, seeing as they have some of the best/most-watched Reality shows in the UK.

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Originally Posted by Hayden (Post 6919987)

I'm happy with the way it is now tbh, I just would prefer to see what direction ITV would take it in, seeing as they have some of the best/most-watched Reality shows in the UK.

They wouldn't do an X Factor or BGT with it if that's what you're thinking.

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Originally Posted by Hayden (Post 6919967)

I'd rather it be on ITV than Channel 5 tbh, but each to their own I guess.

But they would most likely air Celeb BB on ITV and air Big Brother on ITV2

Really hope it happens it will be a fantastic signing for itv

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Originally Posted by mrmattybeck1 (Post 6920083)

Really hope it happens it will be a fantastic signing for itv

For ITVBe? It'll be another ITVPlay disaster and close down. No way would BB do well on a channel like that.

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Originally Posted by Marsh. (Post 6920104)

For ITVBe? It'll be another ITVPlay disaster and close down. No way would BB do well on a channel like that.

im hoping itv2

I don't think it would work on any digital channel to be honest. Not unless it was seriously altered. It would definitely become a TOWIE clone then.

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Originally Posted by Hayden (Post 6919967)

I'd rather it be on ITV than Channel 5 tbh, but each to their own I guess.

But it will be on a new digital channel ITVbe who is going to watch that?

BB isn't as safe as on Channel 5 as people think.

It is very possible after summer CBB it may disappear from our screens.

Either way, ITV expressing interest is only a good thing. It will show Viacom that BB is a hot product and is demand, which will either force Viacom to make a decision and sign on the dotted line quicker, or allow a channel with a bigger budget to take it over.

They'd probably lock Emma into a golden handcuffs deal aswell and get her on This Morning and Big Brother or something.

Also, I doubt the reason for it not happening being that fact it's too expensive. If Channel 5 can afford it...

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Originally Posted by Sawyer (Post 6920311)

They asked itv for a comment and they declined instead of rubbishing the rumours, itv seems to be keeping there cards close to there chest, and putting the main show on ITVBE would be an amazing idea. And would launch the channel to success.:cheer2:

ITV probably mean it's too expensive in the sense that they wouldn't normally spend so much money on something that brings in such low viewing figures.

It's no X Factor or anything.

good they are the last channel i would want it on. it would be the end as we know it.

channel 5 need to keep it. but just do it better

I still think a break after channel 4 ended it would've done it good. :laugh:

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Originally Posted by Marsh. (Post 6920349)

I still think a break after channel 4 ended it would've done it good. :laugh:

I agree! Channel 4 shouldn't have been so quick in completely axing it and selling the rights, they should have just not brought it back after Big Brother 11 and then possibly re-launched it this year? If they'd planned it perfectly then the ratings would have been absolutely insane!

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Originally Posted by Who Is She? (Post 6920368)

I don't think that was down to channel 4.

After BB11 channel 4's rights to the show expired then it was down to Endemol to either end the show or sell it to another network.

I don't think channel 4 would've paid for the rights to it just to leave it off the air.

I don't get why endemol put together the whole "last ever Big Brother" stuff with UBB if they were hoping for a revival on 5. :laugh:

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Originally Posted by Marsh. (Post 6920380)

Oh, I thought Channel 4 just sold the rights, I didn't know the rights expired anyway with them.

That's weird because I've just watched 'The Final Hour' of Ultimate Big Brother and literally it had no effect on me because it wasn't even the final Big Brother, every Big Brother since it began was essentially 'the last Big Brother' until the next summer, so it was a pointless ratings grabber considering it came back the following year like every Big Brother did.

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Originally Posted by Who Is She? (Post 6920387)

Yes, channel 4 axed it in 2009 and said 2010 (the last year they held the rights) would be the final year for the show on channel 4.

It's not channel 4's show to sell, it's endemol's. Endemol went along with the "last ever" stuff even though they must have known channel 5 were interested at that time even if it wasn't set in stone.

It wasn't like every year though, we knew it was coming back every year because channel 4 had multi-year deals with it. I think the last one was in 2006 when they renewed it for five years. So it was pretty much guaranteed to come back every year for that period unless something drastic happened. For all intents and purposes, 2010 was the end.