tv advertising

TV advertising may once have been a cash cow, the proverbial licence to print money, but as ITV CEO Carolyn McCall reminded the RTS London Convention in September: “Linear advertising is deeply tied to the economy, and it is cyclical. This year is still not easy…but the ad market has recovered. Talking to a lot of my counterparts in Europe… they’re finding it much easier, and they’re all talking about commissioning.”

Now that the threat of privatisation is no longer looming, Alex Mahon can focus on other items in the Channel 4 in-tray: recovering from the economic downturn; accelerating its digital strategy; and coming up with new hits.

In a wide-ranging interview that covered everything from company culture to the channel’s relationship with government and industry partners, Mahon first addressed the struggles of the UK’s indie sector.