ITV2: Young Adult Escapism Station
ITV2 has managed to find a niche targeted at young adults through the provision of lighter entertainment, reality television, and light-hearted sitcom repeats. The channel provides light-hearted, easy-viewing programs which bring across the feel-good factor. It understands the requirements of its target audience through the provision of a blend of the familiar with the new.
While ITV2 is a channel that won hearts, it largely suffers from the problem of relevance in this changing media landscape. Increasingly, the competition from streaming services demands all-new diversity from programs in order to capture young viewers’ attention. Moreover, its excessive use of reality TV formats has been criticized for giving superficial values and then unrealistic aspirations for life.
Despite all of this, ITV2 still manages to be a niche destination for many young viewers. More than anything else, the channel fulfills this young viewer’s desire for temporary distancing from reality through a sense of escapism and familiarity, hence strongly building the foundation for its continuous success.
