Date Set For Return Of News At Ten On ITV

The News at Ten is to return to ITV on Monday 22 January. Renamed ITV News At Ten, it will be broadcast from Mondays to Thursdays and will be presented by Trevor McDonald.

The restoration of the 10pm news bulletin on the network was agreed last year following intervention by the ITC (see News At Ten To Return To ITV). The regulatory body was concerned by slumping viewing figures for news programmes on ITV since it scrapped the bulletin in March 1999 (see ITV Axes News At Ten). Months of disagreement ensued between the two before a four-day restoration of the 10pm bulletin was agreed.

The agreement also allowed the network a degree of flexibility in its broadcast enabling it to occasionally schedule live sport, long-form drama and feature films without interruption for news. During winter and spring this will be used on Wednesday evenings to allow for ITV’s coverage of the UEFA Champions League.

David Liddiment, ITV director of programmes, said: “News At Ten is an immensely powerful brand with positive appeal for viewers, important qualities in this highly competitive market. With the news back at ten and the flexibility to show live sport, drama and feature films uninterrupted, we believe this is a strong proposition for our viewers.”

For the first time in its history, ITV will broadcast two news bulletins during peak time. The 6.30pm edition will have a new, co-anchor line-up with Dermot Murnaghan and Mary Nightingale.

The return of a 10pm bulletin on the network will see ITV and BBC go head-to-head for the first time, following BBC1’s decision to move its 9 o’clock news bulletin to the 10 o’clock slot in October (see BBC To Broadcast News At Ten). This week the corporation claimed that its news coverage was the UK’s favourite during 2000 with the 10 o’clock programme averaging an audience of 5.2m.

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