Opinionated news to be allowed on TV

Rules governing impartiality in TV news could be relaxed - paving the way for a series of Fox News-style services.

The suggestion by media regulator Ofcom is aimed at creating more "interesting" coverage of world events and extreme political views by opinionated news anchors and interviewers.

Ofcom sources today conceded that relaxing the rules for broadcasters - although not the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or Five - could lead to British "shock jock" versions of Rupert Murdoch's contentious US Fox News.

The proposal comes after an Ofcom report found increasing numbers of young people do not watch TV news.

Half of 16- to 24-year-olds - up from 33 per cent five years ago - only watch the news when a major event is happening, such as terror attacks.

This age group watches an average of 45 minutes of TV news a week - about half of that for the wider population. And 64 per cent of young people believe the TV news is not relevant to their lives.

Fox News has been repeatedly accused of promoting a rightwing Republican agenda. The Ofcom report calls UK coverage "middle of the road".