Britain's main commercial television channel, ITV, is unveiling what it calls "ambitious" audience targets in a bid to reassure advertisers it can overturn a decline in ratings.

ITV is still the most popular channel, but its audience has been eroded in recent years by cable and satellite services as well as Channel 5.

Its main rival, BBC1, has lost fewer viewers - to the frustration of advertisers who want larger audences for commercial channels. ITV's share of peaktime TV audience has fallen from 44% in 1994 to just under 39% last year.

Now, in a presentation to around 500 advertisers, a new management team will set out its strategy to halt the decline.

News at Ten "safe"

For the first time, ITV will announce its audience targets for the next three years, pledging to win back viewers, particularly from BBC1.

The newly appointed director of programmes, David Liddiment, also wants to vary ITV's traditional Saturday night diet of entertainment - now pulling in low ratings - with different kinds of programmes.

But News At Ten is thought likely to remain safe in its slot, with no imminent plans to move it earlier in the evening to make way for a film. However, ITV's new management wants to consider the issue further.

Mr Liddiment is known to be keen to introduce popular "people documentaries", a genre which has proved so successful for BBC1 with titles like Hotel and Driving School.

A new advertising firm has also been taken on to strengthen ITV's brand identity.

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