British public service broadcaster ITV reported a decline in overall revenue during the first half (H1) of 2025, but executives say its streaming platform ITVX shows promising signs that could help the country’s commercial TV network turn things around in the near future.
Revenue during H1 dropped 3 percent to £1.85 billion (around U.S. $2.5 billion), which ITV said was still ahead of market expectations. Ad revenue was compared to H1 2023; in that respect, it was up 2 percent. ITV said it did not compare H1 2025 ad revenue to a comparable period in 2024 because the Men’s Euro soccer tournament provided an exceptional windfall.
Media and entertainment revenue dipped 8 percent to £955 million (around U.S. $1.29 billion), spurred by higher digital ad revenue, which grew by 12 percent. Streaming ad revenue was offset by lower linear TV ad take, ITV said. The company’s commercial partnership with YouTube continues to prove beneficial by drawing in a younger audience, which is more lucrative to marketers.
During H1, ITV broadcast or streamed nearly all the country’s top commercially-broadcast TV programs across key genres, including entertainment, drama, sports and reality-based programs. On linear TV, its share of audience was just under 33 percent, relatively flat when compared to the prior year. ITV simulcasts most of its linear TV networks on its streaming platform ITVX.
Executives at ITV said they’re excited by the prospect of a new partnership between it and the Walt Disney Company, which involves cross-promotional opportunities through the sharing of content between ITVX and Disney Plus. ITV is hoping to expose its content to an audience of younger viewers who prefer to watch content on streaming platforms, and Disney is hoping to attract more subscribers to Disney Plus, which charges a fee for access to movies and TV shows.
