What’s the purpose of ITV 2 these days?

[brioalex]

Is there any point in ITV 2 still existing in 2022 and beyond? All it seems to show on evenings currently is films. It’s almost become ITV’s answer to Film4.

I’m pretty sure ITV 2 was setup to serve a more youth audience but in my opinion it’s really lost it’s way of late and doesn’t actually show much original content anymore apart from Love Island of course.

[Toby brown]

Its a great channel for young people like my self i watch it every night for american dad and family guy

[Neil Jones]

Same purpose any commercial channel exists - sell adverts to make money.
If it turns out films satisfies that purpose for ITV2, then so be it.

[brioalex]

Yeah I like Family Guy too. I guess I’m referencing weekend evenings mostly. Showing films is all well and good but back to back just seems lazy to me. There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of original programming on the channel. Most of the programmes they did show have either been axed or are failing like Celeb Juice etc.

[Toby brown]

To be fair to itv. They have not been able to make much new tv recently because of covid restrictions

[brioalex]

To be fair to itv. They have not been able to make much new tv recently because of covid restrictions

Very true! I’ve noticed this even before Covid-19 though. It’s been a gradual decline rather than over the past 2 years.

[Brekkie]

Films have long been a staple of many digital channels weekend schedules. It's also December, the time of year most stations dig out their films. ITV2 aired The Grinch for the entertainment of their viewers - not as an instruction!

Overall although I think it has weakpoints in the schedule, as all channels do, I do think ITV2 is actually in stronger shape with original UK content than it has been for a while. They've certainly done more over the last couple of years than E4, and are back in the drama market next year as well IIRC.

[Ash101]

Obviously yes, it like ITV 3/4/Be are solely around so that ITV can sell more advertising spacing as a group. But ITV2 does do okay during the summer with Love Island. I believe on quite a few occasions it was one of (if not the) most watched 9pm programs on some nights.

I mean you can’t build a channel around 1 programme, but they don’t exactly make a huge effort outside of LI season - although they did try with Ready to Mingle & it tanked.

Personally, I do feel like they miss the spin off shows. I know IAC isn’t exactly rating amazingly this year, but you can’t help but think ‘Extra Camp’ would’ve still secured 0.5-1m for an extra hour ITV2 each evening.

[Jexedback]

Your question is really, “Is ITV2 distinctive enough?” -
Clearly they have some big hits with Love Island and the American animation is a draw.
I think ITV Be (ridiculous name btw) watered it down, some of their strong performers, such as the Real Housewives brands would do better on ITV2.
I’d like to see more original comedy and some edgier dramas that don’t feel like ITV 9pm police repetitiveness.

[Brekkie]

Personally, I do feel like they miss the spin off shows. I know IAC isn’t exactly rating amazingly this year, but you can’t help but think ‘Extra Camp’ would’ve still secured 0.5-1m for an extra hour ITV2 each evening.

I think it's just a case they tied up too much of the budget. Yes, it bought in a guaranteed audience and filled plenty of hours but I suspect the demos weren't as advertiser friendly as other shows they could spend the budget on.

[RR]

Looking at the BARB ratings for October, the only channels with a higher share are the five traditional terrestrial channels, ITV3, E4, and (just) Drama.

There is a reason why the BBC wants to bring back BBC3, and it is that 2 out of the 3 non big 5 channels over the past few years have been E4 and ITV2, and the BBC wants to muscle in to that market.

Until that happens, and we will see whether the BBC succeeds in taking significant share from ITV2 and E4, ITV will continue to have ITV2, and it will have its place in the scheme of things.

[Kunst]

Why ITV2 in particular?

There are loads of channels with more unclear targets than ITV2

[Rex]

Is there any point in ITV 2 still existing in 2022 and beyond? All it seems to show on evenings currently is films. It’s almost become ITV’s answer to Film4.

I’m pretty sure ITV 2 was setup to serve a more youth audience but in my opinion it’s really lost it’s way of late and doesn’t actually show much original content anymore apart from Love Island of course.

I think you missed out some of the factual programming that ITV2 has been showing lately, it's an initiative recently started by the head of the Digital Channels division, in some way ITV2 is starting to become a bit more competitive content wise in light of how its content gets commissioned for the Hub first, ITV2 after, and BBC Three coming back will slightly hit its ratings.

[Inspector Sands]

It's shown films for a long time, at least it seems to have got out of the rut of showing the same few films.. mainly Simon Pegg ones - on a loop. They really got their money's worth out of Shaun of The Dead

[brioalex]

Is there any point in ITV 2 still existing in 2022 and beyond? All it seems to show on evenings currently is films. It’s almost become ITV’s answer to Film4.

I’m pretty sure ITV 2 was setup to serve a more youth audience but in my opinion it’s really lost it’s way of late and doesn’t actually show much original content anymore apart from Love Island of course.

I think you missed out some of the factual programming that ITV2 has been showing lately, it's an initiative recently started by the head of the Digital Channels division, in some way ITV2 is starting to become a bit more competitive content wise in light of how its content gets commissioned for the Hub first, ITV2 after, and BBC Three coming back will slightly hit its ratings.

I’ve definitely not seen any of those programmes! Will have to go hunting around ITV Hub to see if I can see them. You’re right though, it’ll be interesting to see how it responds when BBC Three comes back to air next year.