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Television dream has gone wildly out of focus
Nick Goodway04.03.09
"Reshaped, revitalised and redeployed" was Michael Grade's declaration when he got his feet firmly under the table at ITV in September 2007.
As of today 1700 people have been redeployed, as in lost their jobs. Reshaped means "we can't pay a dividend". And revitalised means what? Grade stood for creativity when he quit the BBC for ITV. What has he created?
Two things stand out. He took the radical decision to move News At Ten back to 10pm and reinstate veteran newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald. Yes, his predecessors got it wrong but by the time he tried to put it right, the BBC had stolen the 10pm slots.
He gave us Britain's Got Talent, a hugely entertaining show for those of all ages (but not me). Great ratings and good for advertisers, but actually a format bought in from the United States.
Grade is kicking against a dwindling economy and a regulatory system that cannot move quickly enough to rescue him.
His survival as the chairman of ITV is now looking as likely as his beloved Charlton Athletic avoiding the drop from the Championship to Division One. For those who don't know, they are nine points adrift at the bottom of the table.
