News At When To Return To 10.30 Slot
ITV is set to re-ignite controversy with the announcement it is to move its evening news bulletin to 10.30pm next year, after approval for the change was granted by the ITC.
According to ITV, the decision to reschedule the news to 10.30pm, five nights a week from Monday to Friday, will re-establish a fixed timeslot for the late evening news bulletin on the station and end head to head news scheduling with BBC One.
ITV has suffered in the ratings and the BBC has effectively taken over the 10pm slot. Morevoer, the timing of ITV’s news programming has been criticised for being erratic.
Commenting on today’s decision, Nigel Pickard, director of programmes at ITV, said: “This decision is absolutely in the public interest. Head to head news on the two main channels has not served viewers well. This solution enhances choice for news audiences, and restores a fixed slot for ITV’s main evening bulletin.”
The news is likely to cause controversy amongst media watchdogs who are concerned about eroding news audiences. Speaking at the recent RTS television conference in Cambridge, Michael Grade, the well-respected former chief executive of Channel 4 declared: “The night they moved News at Ten, that was the night public service broadcasting died on ITV.”
The move marks the latest instalment in the “news at when” saga which began in September 1998, when ITV moved its nightly news bulletin to a later slot to make way for movies (see ITV Axes News At Ten). This sparked concern amongst regulators and following intervention by the ITC, the news was returned to the 10pm slot in 2001 (see Date Set For Return Of News At Ten On ITV).
Steve Anderson, Controller of ITV News and Current Affairs, said: “This decision finally brings to an end the scheduling uncertainties of the past and enables us to concentrate on establishing a high quality news programme at 10.30pm. A fixed start time five nights a week gives viewers a clear appointment to view and allows ITV News to develop in a new and exciting direction.”
Late last year ITV’s outgoing director of programmes, David Liddiment, admitted that News At Ten should never have been reinstated (see Liddiment Regrets News At Ten Move).
ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com
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