Spring '96 bbm books are in and CanWest Global's Vancouver affiliate, u.tv, is inspired by its 6 p.m. newscast numbers as it works on new strategies to take eyeballs away from king of the B.C. News Airwaves, bctv.

U.News At Six ratings are up 25.7% over the same period last spring, recording 103,000 viewers 18+ from 82,000 in the spring '95 books, according to bbm statistics.

The numbers for the 18-49 demo are being singled out as a ratings coo, running to 65,000 from 51,000, viewers 18+.

As good as it looks on paper, u.tv still has a long way to go to catch ctv's b.c. affiliate, bctv. While the electorate chases it hither and yon, the 6 p.m. newscast pulled in 513,000 viewers 18+ for the same period, a gain of 3% over spring '95's 497,000 viewers. Its 18-49 demo is up to 215,000 viewers from 214,000 last year.