§ 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 10.00 to 10.30 p.m. weekday slot on Channel 3 since the abolition of "News at Ten". [104467]
§ Janet AndersonThe Independent Television Commission is monitoring the performance of ITV following changes to its news provision in March 1999. For the four weeks beginning 6 December 1999 the average audiences who were watching news on Channel 3 and the figures for the equivalent weeks in 1998 are as follows:
(a) Million 1998 5.40–6.00 5.6 10.00–10.30 6.5 Total 12.1 1999 6.30–7.00 6.2 11.00–11.15 3.2 Total 9.5 (b) The average Channel 3 audience between 10.00 and 10.30 p.m. was 0.9 million less in the four weeks beginning 6 December 1999 than it was in the equivalent weeks in 1998.