OCTOBER 30, 2002

More terrestrial TV problems

The dwindling F1 television audiences have already impacted advertising revenues drastically, as it has been difficult to draw new advertisers as well as justify the rates to current advertisers as viewing figures slumped this year.

It seems that Britain's ITV is facing a demand from Toyota to refund some of the advertising this year because viewing figures have fallen. ITV is believed to have a $38m contract with Toyota but the Japanese car maker seems to have a clause in the contract which states that Toyota is entitled to a cash rebate if viewing figures for the 2002 season dropped below those for 2001.