ITV 'to pilot integrated 6pm news hour'

ITV is reportedly piloting a new hour-long 6pm news programme that will bring together its early evening national and regional news bulletins, potentially challenging the BBC's dominant 6 O'Clock News.

ITV currently runs its regional news at 6pm, followed by the ITV News half an hour later. The BBC runs its news the opposite way around, international and domestic news at 6pm, followed by the regional bulletin.

However, there had been speculation that ITV could roll its bulletins into one programme as part of an ongoing review of its news operation.

Such a move would first require regulatory approval from Ofcom, but it would theoretically provide a sterner challenge for BBC One's dominant 6 O'Clock News in the ratings.

In a letter to staff on Wednesday, seen by The Guardian, ITV director of news and sport Mike Jermey confirmed that "some off-air pilots" were being produced "to test the idea".

"One of the options we're looking at is a potential integrated 6pm to 7pm 'news hour' - delivering international, national and regional news in one coherent programme," he said.

"We'll be looking at the overall structure of the hour, including timings, durations and handovers. The pilot programmes will then be reviewed so that we can decide on the best way forward for ITV news."

Also in the letter, Jermey told staff that ITV will begin formal negotiations with ITN about renewing its network and London supply contract beyond the end of 2012.

"Those talks will aim to build on the 'one ITV News' work already under way," he said.

ITV currently owns 40% of ITN, which also produces Channel 4 News, but there has been speculation that the broadcaster could buy out the remainder of the firm and integrate ITN more directly into its operation.

An ITV spokesman said: "Michael Jermey, ITV director of news, current affairs and sport, today updated staff on ITV's ongoing news review, which is looking at all areas of ITV's journalism in order to further strengthen the broadcast and digital news operation."

In July, ITV News partnered with the Media Trust to launch Breaking Into News 2011, a competition to unearth the broadcast journalism talent of the future.