News At Ten Is ‘Sacred’, Finds Survey

Almost three quarters of the population would like ITV to leave the News At Ten in its current slot, according to a new Gallup survey conducted on behalf of Pace Microtechnology.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) is currently considering ITV’s contentious proposals to shake up its evening schedule (see ITC Reacts To ITV’s Proposal). The planned changes have also met with opposition from the Department of Culture, Media & Sport secretary, Chris Smith along with Select Committee chairman, Gerald Kaufman (see News At Ten Move ‘Based On Hunch’, Says MP).

ITV is hoping the move will increase audience figures to deliver to advertisers in the peak-time slot; the news programmes would be moved to earlier and later in the evening schedule.

At the beginning of the year ITV chief executive, Richard Eyre, outlined a set of viewing share targets, one of which was to reach a 40% share of peak-time viewing by 2000. However, Eyre later admitted that the these targets were probably unattainable if the News At Ten move were to be blocked (see ITV Confesses 40% Viewing Share Promise Is Impossible Unless News At Ten Goes).

The Pace survey also found that 58% of people would be unlikely to watch an earlier ITN news programme. This is significant, says Pace, as almost half of British viewers rely on the TV as their main source of news and current affairs.

Pace Microtechnology: 01274 538 005 Independent Television Commission: 0170 255 3000 ITV Network Centre: 0171 843 8000