Deeper problems than Jeremy Kyle are making ITV a turn-off for investors
(The Guardian Business News)

Gambits like BritBox may not save the broadcaster in a market dominated by Netflix and other tech interlopersAs ITV became embroiled in the scandal over the death of a Jeremy Kyle Show participant last week, its top brass moved quickly to purchase £200,000 of stock in the troubled broadcaster. The move by chief executive Carolyn McCall, chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette and finance chief Chris Kennedy came as ITV faces a battle to regain the faith of investors after shares fell to a six-year low. But despite the potential severity of the scandal - following the deaths of former Love Island contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon - investors are still most concerned about fundamental commercial off-screen issues. Blame has been laid on advertisers pulling out of TV campaigns citing Brexit uncertainty. However, by the referendum in June 2016, ITV´s stock market value had already almost halved - to £6.5bn, from more than £11bn the previous year. Continue reading...