News At Ten Move ‘Based On Hunch’, Says MP

Gerald Kaufman, the chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, yesterday attacked ITV executives by claiming that plans to move the News At Ten are based on a ‘hope or hunch’ that it may yield more viewers.

This criticism furthers Kaufman’s public opposition to ITV’s planned schedule re-shake (see ITV’s News At Ten Move Challenged). Tony Blair and Chris Smith have also made it known that they disagree with moving the flagship news programme to earlier in the evening (with another update programme at 11 o’clock). The Independent Television Commission (ITC), which will ultimately decided whether the move can go ahead, is understood to be angry at having political pressure placed on it to make a decision.

Gerald Kaufman accused ITV of deliberately trying to reduce the number of viewers watching the news bulletin, and said that audiences for the programme after 11pm would drop off dramatically as people go to bed at this time. This will make way for more advertiser-friendly scheduling such as films and dramas; it would also be likely to increase the quotient of young, up-market viewers – also very attractive to advertisers.

The Select Committe’s criticism is that ITV is putting advertiser revenue ahead of the interests of the Network’s viewers. There has been no evidence given that the changes will benefit viewers, Kaufman said.

Department for Culture, Media & Sport: 0171 211 6272 ITV Network Centre: 0171 843 8000