ITV holds firm over 'News at Ten'

ITV resisted pressure from advertisers yesterday to move News at Ten and its flagship documentary programme World In Action away from peak time in a bid to halt a decline in ratings.

Instead, on the back of recent improvements in audience, an emergency meeting of senior ITV executives approved additional investment for its autumn schedule.

Leslie Hill, chairman of ITV's council, the network's governing body, said: "Our advertisers need mass audiences and audiences have to be won in an environment of increasing choice. We are aware of the concerns and problems faced by advertisers and we shall continue our discussion with them over the coming weeks. ITV will continue to make the investment it believes is necessary to keep brand leadership in an increasingly competitive market."

The council meeting was called in response to complaints from leading advertisers about a slide in ratings and rising costs of advertising. ITV's peak-time audience share from the beginning of April to mid-June this year fell to 41 per cent from 45.3 in 1994. The BBC, meanwhile, has edged up to 33.8 per cent from 31.8 per cent last year.

In addition to approving rises of "several millions" for this autumn, the ITV council is deciding by how much to hike next year's programme budget. Disgruntled with a spring and summer schedule perceived by many as lacklustre, advertisers have argued for a 30-second increase in hourly advertising time and for more spending on network programmes. The 3.8 per cent rise to pounds 550m last year was not good enough, they say, considering an 11 per cent rise in revenue.

There was pressure two years ago for News at Ten to be rescheduled but proposals were abandoned after the Prime Minister intervened.