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Regional TV News Review

Regional TV News Review

Y&R’s review of the new ITV franchise holders (Newsline 7/4) includes comparisons of performance with regard to local news programming – all three promised greater emphasis on this area.

In the first six weeks of the new franchise period Meridian appears to have matched the viewing levels of its predecessor, Coast To Coast; Carlton’s London Tonight is slipping slightly behind Thames’ coverage, but ahead of LWT News (Fridays). Carlton’s programme is one hour, Thames’ was 30 minutes.

Westcountry appears to be suffering badly. Individual daily TVRs are between four and nine percentage points lower than those of its predecessor Westcountry Live, and the ITC is said to have received numerous complaints from viewers.

Individual TVRs 4/1/93 – 19/2/93 and same period 1992
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri
Westcountry Live 14.4 12.6 12.4 13.6 12.1
Today South West 18.8 19.2 19.3 18.8 21
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri
London Tonight 11.7 11 11.3 10.4 11.1
Thames/LWT News 12.7 11.6 12 11.4 10.1
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri
Meridian Tonight 18.4 17.3 18 19 17.4
Coast To Coast 18.3 17.4 17.7 16.9 17.9
BARB

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