Media Week understands that schedulers at ITV are considering the move in light of Michael Grade's recent decision to resurrect News at Ten. In recent months Grade has placed an increasing emphasis on boosting ratings for ITV's 9pm slot.
A senior source at a rival broadcaster said: "The logic is to make sure there's a big audience going into the 9pm slot for the one-hour dramas it has planned, who will then stay with ITV until News at Ten.
"There's a risk, though, that by leaving a gap at 7.30pm it will lose a large share of early peak audience."
Phil Hall, associate director of TV at MediaCom, said: "We haven't heard anything yet, but it makes sense for ITV.
"If Coronation Street moved it would shore up the 9pm slot."
Richard Oliver, head of investment at Universal McCann, said: "The move makes too much sense and is a bit too neat. I would be very disappointed if this happened, as it seems like a last throw of the dice.
"This is a way of engineering faith in audiences and not letting programmes' popularity grow. ITV would be putting too much faith in one segment and giving up on the rest of its schedule."
ITV has yet to announce its 2008 schedule and declined to comment as Media Week went to press. An ITV spokesperson said: "We won't comment on any changes until the schedule has been finalised."
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