DISSATISFACTION GROWS OVER NEWS CLASH

FIVE in six of the British public are dissatisfied with the impending head-to-head clash of BBC and ITV evening news, according to a report published by the National Consumer Council (NCC).
More than half of the public (53 per cent) said broadcasting the news at the same time on the two main television channels is unsatisfactory for viewers as a whole. The majority of those felt it is "very unsatisfactory".
Even among those with cable, satellite or digital television at home, the pattern of dissatisfaction is similar, if slightly less marked, with just under 50 per cent fairly or very dissatisfied.
NCC Director, Anna Bradley, said: “When ITN go head-to-head with the BBC in January, there is bound to be a drop in the number of viewers able to watch the nightly news. It is not in consumers’ interests, both in terms of quality and choice, for the two major news programmes to be on at the same time. This episode shows that, so long as the BBC regulates itself, viewers will continue to be shortchanged. We are looking to the communications white paper to establish a single, independent regulator to ensure that viewers have access to a choice of high quality public service broadcasting.”
The NCC commissioned the public opinion poll the wake of the controversial news scheduling decision, the results highlighted a need for a thorough shake-up in the way broadcasting is regulated and better consumer input into such important public service decisions.
The NCC have since written to Sir Christopher Bland, Chair of the BBC Board of Governors and to Culture Secretary Chris Smith, urging the BBC to review their decision sooner rather than later.
During an interview with David Frost on ‘Frost On Sunday', Smith again warned the BBC Governors that he would be looking closely at the developing situation.
The poll was carried out on behalf of the NCC by RSGB, part of the Taylor Nelson Sofres Group, as part of their November General Omnibus Survey.
Over 2000 adults were interviewed in their homes between November 1 and 5. (CMcL)