ITC Rejects ITV’s Proposals For Halting Audience Decline

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) has rejected the proposals put forward by ITV for halting the decline in audience figures for its evening news output. ITV will have to come up with a final set of proposals in time for the next Commission meeting on 22 June.

Sir Robin Biggam, the ITC chairman said “The ITC attaches great importance to ITV delivering the full range of its public service obligations and we are not convinced that their proposals will deliver the necessary required improvements. This will be ITV’s last opportunity to present proposals since the uncertainty cannot be allowed to continue.” ITV says it accepts today’s statement and “looks forward to continuing its dialogue with the ITC”.

The most high-profile aspect of last year’s changes to the ITV evening news scheduling was the demise of News at Ten. Calls for the programme’s reinstatement have come from senior press and parliamentary figures, although the ITC has made it clear that this course of action would be unlikely to solve all ITV’s problems. (see “Nannying” ITC Awaits ITV Proposal To Raise News Audiences). It has not been made clear whether the ITC could force ITV to take this, or any other action, should the second set of proposals fail.

The ITC decided in April that ITV had failed to deliver on two criteria of its Public Service Broadcasting commitment since changing its weekday news schedule (see ITV Must Address News Audience Decline, Says ITC). The broadcaster was asked to present proposals in time for a meeting today outlining how it would address the audience deficit, particularly for regional news output.

ITC: 020 7255 3000 ITV: 020 7843 8000