§ Mr. KaufmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will instruct the ITC to obtain from ITV the latest figures showing(a) the change in the numbers watching news on Channel 3 since the abolition of News at Ten and (b) the change in the viewing numbers for the 10 to 10.30 p.m. weekday slot on Channel 3 since the abolition of News at Ten. [95751]
§ Janet AndersonThe Independent Television Commission is monitoring the performance of ITV following changes to its news provision. ITV began their new evening schedule on 8 March, replacing the bulletin at 5.40-6.00 and News at Ten with a half hour news bulletin from 6.30-7.00 and an update from 11.00-11.15. For the four weeks beginning 14 September, the latest figures available to the ITC, the average audiences who were watching news on Channel 3 and the figures for the equivalent weeks in 1999 are as follows:
Million 1998 5.40-6.00 4.1 10.00-10.30 5.6 Total 9.7 1999 6.30-7.00 5.5 11.00-11.15 3.5 Total 9.0 During this period in 1998, 5.6 million were watching Channel 3 in the 10.00 to 10.30 pm slot and during the same period in 1999, since the rescheduling of News at Ten, this has changed to 6.8 million.