ITV bosses are said to have called a crisis meeting with its four flagship daytime shows following a huge slump in viewers that’s causing the broadcaster to take drastic measures

Loose Women, Good Morning Britain, This Morning and Lorraine are facing crisis talks as they are hit with a huge slump in viewers.

The daytime shows are facing pay freezes and job losses as ITV bosses try to offset the financial damage caused by a ratings dip. The broadcaster is said to have taken drastic measures as a way to cut costs on some of its biggest shows. It has been reported shorter three-month contracts could be favoured instead of long term deals for staff, while freelances could be cut.

Their annual ITV summer do, which sees the networks biggest stars come together to let their hair down could also be axed. Meetings have reportedly been held by ITV’s daytime boss Emma Gormley to break the news affecting its four flagship shows. Loose Women, Good Morning Britain, This Morning and Lorraine staff are said to have been shown a graph detailing their rapid decline in ratings.

It was compared to the huge viewing figures streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. As reported by The Sun, a source said: “ITV is really tightening their belt. There have been concerns for months at the top but now that it’s trickled down to the shop floor it feels very depressing. A lot of staff are being put on three-month contracts, probably so they can get rid of people easily.”

They claimed pay freezes are already in place and that ITV are trying to keep costs down by “not trialling new talent on regular segments”. It has been reported bosses are hoping ratings will pick up during the UK election campaign. The source added the news is “particularly difficult to stomach” following the costly This Morning relaunch.

An ITV spokesperson told the Mirror: “Town hall meetings happen frequently for teams to keep up to date with company news and also serve as an opportunity for staff to have questions answered. The latest one was to celebrate the success of Lorraine Kelly receiving a BAFTA Special Recognition Award and the two BAFTA nominations for Daytime last weekend. It was also a transparent portrayal of what is currently happening across the industry.”

Reports suggest that ITV is facing a serious viewership slump with its daytime shows, leading to crisis meetings being called with the teams behind popular programs such as Loose Women, Good Morning Britain, This Morning, and Lorraine.

It has been revealed that pay freezes and job losses are looming as ITV executives try to navigate through the financial impact of decreased ratings. In an effort to cut costs, the network is considering shorter contracts for staff and possible reductions in freelance positions.

The annual ITV summer event, where the network’s biggest stars come together, is also at risk of being canceled as part of the cost-cutting measures being considered.

Meetings led by ITV’s daytime boss Emma Gormley have reportedly shown staff a graph depicting the decline in ratings, highlighting the competition from streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

With concerns escalating within the company, there is a sense of unease among employees who may potentially be affected by the changes. The shift towards shorter contracts and pay freezes is a clear indication of the challenges ITV is facing in the current media landscape.

Despite the uncertainties, ITV remains optimistic that viewership numbers will improve, especially during the upcoming UK election campaign period.

The recent This Morning relaunch, which incurred significant costs, adds to the pressure felt by the network to make strategic decisions in order to stay competitive and financially viable.

While the situation may seem daunting for staff and fans of the daytime shows, ITV maintains that the recent meetings serve as a platform for transparency and communication about the industry’s current challenges.

Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving story as ITV navigates through this period of transition and uncertainty.

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Source: CNN