ON the day that ITV bosses went to the House of Commons to defend their plan to move News At Ten to a new 11pm slot, viewers in Scotland were urged yesterday to make their own opinions known to the ITC, the regulator which will make the final decision on the controversial proposal.
In what amounts to its most fundamental scheduling re-think for 30 years, the commercial network intends to shift its early evening news bulletin from its current 5.40pm starting time to 6pm and, with Trevor MacDonald anchoring, make it ITN's flagship programme.
Meanwhile, for viewers in Scotland the changes could be even more significant. Scottish Media Group, which controls both Scottish and Grampian Television, has made it clear that it wants to provide an hour-long teatime news service, incorporating both the new ITN bulletin together with its own national, regional, and local news programme between 6pm and 7pm. This would free up the 5.30pm to 6pm slot for other regional shows.
The ITC in Scotland made it clear yesterday that it was anxious to get as much feedback on the proposals from the viewing public as it could before next week's consultation period deadline. UK-wide, the watchdog has already received 1400 contributions and it expects this figure to increase significantly before the October 29 closing date.
In order to encourage viewers to take part in the consultation exercise, a special leaflet has been issued which summarises the ITV proposals. It can be obtained from both the ITC's regional office in Glasgow and its official website, and in local libraries.
Mr Alan Stewart, deputy head of the Commission in Scotland, said: ''Viewing habits have certainly changed over the past 30 years. ITV's concern that its schedule should reflect these developments and have a broad appeal is legitimate enough as long as viewers benefit. Our task is to find out through research and consultation if ITV has judged the audience's needs correctly.''
Among politicians who have expressed their opposition to the News At Ten move have been the Prime Minister, Culture Secretary Chris Smith, and Lib-Dem leader Paddy Ashdown.
In London yesterday, ITV chiefs admitted to the Commons' Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee that there was an ''intense'' campaign against the move. However, they did not believe the ITC, which will make the final decision on the plan, would be ''cowed'' by the politicians.
ITV argued that nearly a third of its audience regularly switched off or over at 10pm, and that the change will enable it to schedule more post-watershed ''challenging'' drama and comedy. Chief executive Richard Eyre claimed the two new bulletins together might enhance news viewing figures.
''It is not stretching the imagination to say we might be able to improve on the News At Ten audience figures over time,'' he said.
But select committee chairman Gerald Kaufman accused ITV of putting overall ratings ahead of the future of news. Early evening bulletins were losing viewers fast and by 11pm most had switched off, he said.
''Are you saying you are somehow going to reverse the trend of the nation to go to bed?'' he asked.
ITV chairman Leslie Hill told the committee: ''It is for the Independent Television Commission to determine whether we are able to do this within the legislation and ITV companies' licence conditions or not. I see no problem in discussing it here, but it is not really a matter for Government.''
Mr Eyre said the views Mr Blair and Mr Smith had been strongly expressed and then ''managed in the press in quite an aggressive way''. Both had since privately assured him their views were personal and not intended to interfere in the ITC's decision, and Mr Smith also said he did not believe that ITV's application was ''illegal'', as one press report suggested.
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