TOTP is told 'we don't like Fridays'

Night of glory deserts Oasis as record companies pick pop row with TV show

Record companies have accused the BBC of damaging the music industry by moving Top of the Pops from Thursday to Friday and putting it in the same time slot as ITV's Coronation Street.

The chairmen of the biggest record labels have written to the BBC calling for the show to go back to the Thursday night slot it had occupied since 1965. The record companies fear that a reduced audience for Top of the Pops will damage record sales, and in the long term could cost the music industry millions.

Last Friday Coronation Street was watched by 14 million people. Initial figures for Top of the Pops give it 5.5 million. When it was on a Thursday Top of the Pops regularly won just under 7m viewers. The BBC switched it to Fridays this summer because of the heavy sports schedule. But the decision to keep it there as an alternative to Coronation Street, albeit with a repeat of Top of the Pops going out on Saturday mornings, has baffled the music industry.

In a thinly veiled threat to the BBC Paul Burger, chairman of Sony, whose artists includes Michael Jackson, Oasis and Bruce Springsteen, said: "I believe these are some of the most dramatic and detrimental changes in the history of the relationship between the BBC and the record industry. Over the past year we have spent half a million pounds supporting TOTP, half of which is in setting up satellites and overseas transmissions to tie in with the programme. I don't intend to continue that level of support."

The fact that the record companies pour resources into the show, and that this could yet prove a bargaining counter, was emphasised yesterday by Peter Scaping, secretary general of the British Phonographic Industry, which represents the record companies. He said: "The record companies help this show considerably ... and it's fair to say they are becoming very concerned."

A BBC spokeswoman said: "The record companies are used to it being on a Thursday, but they should wait and see before condemning the move to Fridays. We know we can get 5.6m viewers, and we know that Top of the Pops has a very strong, loyal following."