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ITV's much reported jobs cuts could be great news for their digital content provision. Perhaps this flies in the face of common sense but the reason it's likely to be true is that ITV's online cutbacks represent a retrenchment, and a return to what the broadcaster traditionally does best: content. The Guardian's headline that 'ITV Consumer [is] set to cut 80 jobs' could easily be re-parsed as 'ITV to focus online efforts on producing content-led propositions'.

The broadcaster is moving away from commercially-driven websites that have often strayed very far from ITV's established expertise - does anyone really flick open their web browser with the thought 'Let's compare some prices using ITV's website'? When's the last time you thought 'ITV' when you wanted to place a bet or find a service from an online directory? If the answer to those questions are 'no' and 'never' respectively, it begs the question what ITV is doing running Price Terrier (shopping comparison site), ITV Play (for gambling) or Scoot (a services directory).

The biggest question-mark of all hangs over the decision to buy Friends Reunited. Most people's reactions fell into one of two categories: 'Does Friends Reunited still exist...? I thought everyone was on Facebook or MySpace?' or 'What on Earth is ITV going to do with Friends Reunited?'. Most perplexing of all - and this is probably the biggest indicator that they didn't have their heads screwed on right when it comes to online integration - they quickly announced that their intention was to leverage the site in the creation of new television programming. Not, say, to get a foot in the door of social media, which many feel is the next big trend in media consumption. They paid £175m for the privilege, and won't be getting that sum back in a hurry.

ITV have announced their aim with ITV.com is to focus on streaming video, plus new gaming under the main ITV(.com) brand. This all makes sense, especially considering their need to respond to the death of Kangaroo, which they have just announced will end up costing them £12m. It's a refocus on their core proposition: entertaining viewers by delivering content that their commissioners select (using their substantial experience and expertise) and which appeals to a wide audience for whom ITV is already a household brand.

We shouldn't expect (though perhaps we will be pleasantly surprised) ground-breaking or controversial new multi-platform programming - it's certainly not what they're known for, or what the brand stands for - but we should hope to see big, entertainment-driven shows that grab the attention of large audiences. And if we don't, and ITV can't make inroads into what is inevitably the future of video programming, then there will be massacres down the line that will dwarf this week's cuts.