 |
|
   |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
BBC wins first day ratings battle
Claire Cozens Friday March 21, 2003
The corporation once again demonstrated its ability to pull in the crowds at times of crisis with its earlier 6pm news also topping the 7 million mark, according to unofficial overnights. BBC1 maintained its lead over ITV1 throughout most of yesterday evening, shunting the first half of Liverpool's Uefa Cup match against Celtic over to BBC2 to provide an extra hour of news and discussion. The 8pm news and discussion programme hosted by David Dimbleby attracted 4.7 million people, while The Bill on ITV drew an audience of 6.6 million. ITV1's ploy of bringing forward its news bulletin by an hour to offer viewers first bite of the cherry failed to dent the BBC's lead, however. The 9pm broadcast attracted 5 million viewers and a 21% share but was thwarted by the appeal of Match of the Day as it switched back to BBC1. Seven million, almost one in three viewers, watched the final hour of Liverpool's defeat. In all almost 13 million viewers watched Tony Blair's televised speech to the nation, his first public address since war broke out. The pre-recorded speech was broadcast simultaneously on BBC1 and ITV1 and dominated the viewing, attracting a total audience share of nearly 60%. But while BBC1 strengthened its lead after the broadcast, ITV1's viewing figures plummeted. The political crises faced by Margaret Thatcher during her turbulent time in office paled into insignificance by comparison with today's conflict and ITV1's documentary, Maggie: the First Lady, shunted back to 10.05pm to make way for the news, managed just 1.8 million viewers. BBC1's Question Time, in which former Conservative leader William Hague and Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan answered questions about the conflict, enjoyed a boost with viewing figures nearing the 4 million mark.
Iraq and the media
20.03.2003: ITV News at Nine draws 8m 20.03.2003: TV round-up: Watching the watchers 20.03.2003: Sky and ITV claim dead heat 19.03.2003: Viewers count on BBC as war looms near 19.03.2003: ITV condemns BBC over news schedules 18.03.2003: BBC and ITV clash over war bulletins 18.03.2003: Media mull Iraq pullout 18.03.2003: Flood of complaints as BBC postpones Israel investigation 07.03.2003: BBC editorial rules spark accusations of anti-war bias 11.02.2003: BBC bans news stars from anti-war march
20.03.2003: Papers push back deadlines 17.03.2003: They've lost the battle, will they support the war? 21.03.2003: March 20: World press round-up
21.03.2003: US networks suffer as advertisers abandon ship 21.03.2003: Ad slots empty as brands avoid war 20.03.2003: TV networks count cost of war 20.03.2003: Advertisers urged to heed consumer anxiety 19.03.2003: Iraq crisis dents ITV advertising 18.03.2003: US churches urge Blair to stop war
10.03.2003: How the net will play a key role in this war
18.03.2003: Military's spin corps promises honesty over civilian deaths
28.02.2003: Rather's Hussein scoop draws 17m 27.02.2003: White House clashes with TV chiefs 19.02.2003: News media harden anti-US stance 27.02.2003: US reporters condemn Pentagon press controls
13.02.2003: Black is latest to back Blair 11.02.2003: Murdoch backs 'courageous' Blair over Iraq
13.02.2003: War climate helps Asian radio station
10.03.2003: Roy Greenslade: No one wants to read about war 14.02.2003: Peter Arnett: 'You are the Goebbels of Saddam's regime' 27.01.2003: Maggie Brown: Battle stations 27.01.2003: Richard Dowden: Suddenly I had taken four Iraqi soldiers prisoner 26.01.2003: David Beresford: The writes and wrongs of war  |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
