During a month when Easter fell earlier than usual, prompting the spring holiday period to begin early, ITV1 also suffered a sharp decline in its share of ABC1 impacts, down by 8.4% year on year.
Richard Oliver, managing partner at Universal McCann, said key ITV1 programming, such as soap, drama and light entertainment, is giving the broadcaster "diminishing" commercial returns.
Oliver said: "Channel 4 needs to reinvigorate its schedule, but it is a work in progress."
However, Oliver stressed that the decline in the broadcasters' shares of impacts was not solely indicative of an under-performing TV market, pointing out that year-on-year growth in volume of impacts (for all adults) was up for ITV1, Channel 4 and Five. Five's volume of impacts grew by 7.5% year on year, while ITV1's increased by 3.3% and Channel 4's volume of impacts grew by 1.7%.
Taking into account its +1 channel, Channel 4's all-adult share of commercial impacts last month was 13%. Excluding the +1 channel, Channel 4's adult share of commercial impacts stood at 12.1%.
Adam Turner, broadcast director at PHD, said Channel 4's performance was in part due to a combination of "tired domestic formats and a lack of quality American drama". He said the broadcaster was too reliant on property and make-over programmes.
Though it did not fare as badly as Channel 4, ITV1's performance in March was nevertheless lacklustre, with its March share of commercial impacts among all adults down by 7.7% year on year.
Turner said: "Coronation Street is doing well, but ITV doesn't appear to have enough drama. [It is] managing [its] decline quite well, but, inevitably it is going to see some of its impacts picked up in its digital channels."
Five's decline in share of commercial impacts was significantly below that of its rivals, thanks to the popularity of its Neighbours-enhanced Australian soap hour. Among all adults its share of impacts fell by 4.0%. Performance among ABC1 adults was more impressive, with its share of impacts falling just 0.3% during March.
Richard Oliver, managing partner at Universal McCann, said key ITV1 programming, such as soap, drama and light entertainment, is giving the broadcaster "diminishing" commercial returns.
Oliver said: "Channel 4 needs to reinvigorate its schedule, but it is a work in progress."
However, Oliver stressed that the decline in the broadcasters' shares of impacts was not solely indicative of an under-performing TV market, pointing out that year-on-year growth in volume of impacts (for all adults) was up for ITV1, Channel 4 and Five. Five's volume of impacts grew by 7.5% year on year, while ITV1's increased by 3.3% and Channel 4's volume of impacts grew by 1.7%.
Taking into account its +1 channel, Channel 4's all-adult share of commercial impacts last month was 13%. Excluding the +1 channel, Channel 4's adult share of commercial impacts stood at 12.1%.
Adam Turner, broadcast director at PHD, said Channel 4's performance was in part due to a combination of "tired domestic formats and a lack of quality American drama". He said the broadcaster was too reliant on property and make-over programmes.
Though it did not fare as badly as Channel 4, ITV1's performance in March was nevertheless lacklustre, with its March share of commercial impacts among all adults down by 7.7% year on year.
Turner said: "Coronation Street is doing well, but ITV doesn't appear to have enough drama. [It is] managing [its] decline quite well, but, inevitably it is going to see some of its impacts picked up in its digital channels."
Five's decline in share of commercial impacts was significantly below that of its rivals, thanks to the popularity of its Neighbours-enhanced Australian soap hour. Among all adults its share of impacts fell by 4.0%. Performance among ABC1 adults was more impressive, with its share of impacts falling just 0.3% during March.
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