The Newsroom

ITV News

Widescreen - Sat 1st Dec (December 2005)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
NA
nat210790
http://sundayexpress.co.uk/posts/view/38202/Bong-News-at-Ten-axed
BB
bbc140
Sunday Express posted:
TV is set to axe its flagship news programme – just months after its heavily publicised relaunch.

News At Ten, which was brought back in January to the accompaniment of its musical bongs, will be cancelled “before the summer” because of its poor viewing figures, according to a well-placed source.


Wouldn't surprize me if its true - seeing as the ratings have been shocking!

bbc140
TO
Tom0
If its true they need to move away from News at Ten being their flagship show. News at Ten was just for nostalgia, but clearly people who wanted the news at 10pm watched BBC1 and never changed viewing habits. They should let go and let the Evening News be their flagship show. Let Mark & Mary present, give it the current News at Ten branding and let the journalism be the same. Then put The Late News at 11pm consistently throughout the week presented by James & Julie with the generic ITV look and style, and Lunchtime News remaining where and how it is. Let Trevor go back to retirement.
SE
Square Eyes Founding member
Well frankly ridiculous if true.

And what exactly do they put out at 10pm ? They have nothing to show now that all the (mostly poor) drama's have been curtailed to an hour to fit around News at Ten.

More reactionary short termism that we've come to expect from ITV. Viewing habits take a long time to change, but they lost the ability to build up any kind of rapport with the audience long ago.

Michael Grade was supposed to steady the ship, but it's just rudderless at the moment. Peter Fincham has a lot to sort out.
LO
Londoner
It would be absurd for them to axe it after barely two months, though anything is possible for ITV.

Anything in the Sunday Express should be taken with a strong pinch of salt, though.

Let it run for a year at least to save some face. It's acknowledged to be a strong programme editorially even if ratings are less than stellar.

A climbdown so soon would surely be a final nail in the coffin of ITV News's credibility (and ITV's credibility generally).
GM
GMc
I really hope this isn't true. As one of the above posters have said, they should keep it for at least a year, just to save face.
But, if this does happen, then I hope all ITV News bulletins take on the NaT studio, it's lovely. Smile
NI
Nicky
GMc posted:
I really hope this isn't true. As one of the above posters have said, they should keep it for at least a year, just to save face.


I also hope this is rubbish. If this is true, I will be completely gobsmacked. Not only will it damage the credibility and so-called 'commitment' from ITV News, but quite frankly it would be bollards for ITV to have to axe it after only two months. At least let it run for one year (as others have said). There is a chance for them to build up an audience from now until then.
EB
exquisite burden
Don't worry. It won't happen.
ST
Stuart
double post - damned VirginMedia!
ST
Stuart
I doubt whether this is true so soon after the relaunch. However, I drifted back to the Ten on BBC One after a few weeks as no doubt many did, because like me they were just rubber-necking the new NAT look.

The problem is that ITV were always going to face a battle of credibility about keeping the programme at 10pm. They have shown that they can, 4 days a week, for two months - but that's not long enough.

BBC had their 9 o'Clock news for decades. They moved it to 10 to fill the space left by ITV and they have remained there ever since; they also do it 6 days a week.

ITV's constant shuffles/re-launches have done nothing but damage the brand. The story is probably a tester for public reaction, but this doesn't bode well for Mr Grade.
JO
Joe
Doesn't it get higher ratings than the old 10.30 bulletin? So why would they change it back?
JE
Jez Founding member
Well I was against News At Ten coming back as it just feels like they are copying the format from 10 years ago and IMO it has backfired on them in terms of ratings.

They might as well keep the bulletin at 10pm now though as I cant see what they would gain from moving it back to 10.30pm, apart from the fact it wouldnt be the same time as the BBC's bulletin but they still have to find something to show at 10pm.

Newer posts