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LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - ITV said its advertising
revenue was rebounding from the COVID-19 hit last year, with
April up 68%, May expected to be up about 85% and June up
between 85% and 90%, boosted by the Euros soccer tournament and
the return of "Love Island".
The British broadcaster said in a trading update on
Wednesday that it expected total ad revenue for the first half
to up around 26% on 2020, despite pandemic restrictions being in
place for nearly all of the period.
Chief Executive Carolyn McCall said: "We have made a good
start to 2021 with total revenue and total viewing both up,
despite the continuing impact of the pandemic.
"We finished the quarter strongly with the substantial
majority of our shows back in production and a recovery in the
advertising market."
The company, which has a Studios production arm and a Media
and Entertainment arm, said its total external revenue for the
first quarter rose 2% to 709 million pounds ($985 million),
driven by a 9% increase in Studios.
($1 = 0.7198 pounds)
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate Holton)
