And finally . . . it will no longer be the News at Ten, but the news at 6.30 p.m. and the news at 11 p.m. Britain's Independent Television Commission yesterday gave qualified approval for ITV's plan to abolish its flagship news programme and replace it with two news slots in an attempt to compete with other channels showing films and regional programmes.
The changes have been sought by ITV because its revenue is dependent on advertisers and with a third of its audience switching off when it hears the bongs for News at Ten, providing more flexible programming is a key element in its attempt to reverse audience decline.
ITV's chief executive, Mr Richard Eyre, welcomed the decision, saying the network looked forward to the opportunity to bring "energy" and "greater diversity" to its schedules. With financial concerns eventually winning the day, News at Ten's creators, Independent Television Network, said the decision ended "a period of uncertainty for all concerned".
In a statement it said: "ITN welcomes the opportunities provided by the new ITV schedule and intends to build on the News at Ten tradition in producing television journalism of the highest quality with the widest appeal."
The News at Ten anchorman, Trevor McDonald, will not be entirely lost to viewers, however, as he has been signed up to present an hour-long current affairs programme next year.
Public attention has focused on what some observers describe as ITV's "dumbing down"' of the late evening television schedule, but the network has insisted that the decision, which will see the end of News at Ten early next year, represents only a small part of its plan to reverse audience decline. The new schedule will include adult comedy programmes, documentaries, current affairs as well as drama and films.
The conditions imposed by the ITC were outlined by its chairman, Sir Robin Biggam, who said that in a multi-channel age, direct intervention by the regulator "looks increasingly inappropriate". More diverse programmes should be delivered between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. and ITV's commitment to public service values must be "undiminished".
There should be no diminution in the funding, range or quality of national or international news on ITV and a headline service - a one-minute news slot - should be delivered at 10 p.m. each weekday or in the nearest available programme break. And an agreed number of 30-minute slots for regional programmes should be provided.