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ITV
From The TV IV
ITV | |
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Founded | 22 September 1955 |
President | |
Company | ITV plc |
Notable Series | Coronation Street
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire |
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ITV (also known by its legal name, Channel 3) is a British advertisement-supported television channel which broadcasts in England and Wales. Together with STV (in Scotland, formerly separate networks Grampian Television and Scottish Television) and UTV (in Northern Ireland, formerly Ulster Television), it makes up the largest of the commercial networks in the United Kingdom.
Technically the station comprises an association of regional broadcasters, however a series of mergers since 1992 has meant that in practice all of the regional franchises for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now owned by a single company, ITV plc. The company is also the majority shareholder in the other ITV channels: ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV.
ITV contractors
Current contractors (with service region and date of first sign-on)
Station | Region | First sign-on date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Carlton Television | London weekdays (9:25 a.m. Monday-5:15 p.m. Friday) | January 1, 1993 | Although separately licenced from London Weekend Television, the two franchises have been known on-air as ITV London (previously ITV1 London) since 2002 |
ITV Anglia | East of England | October 27, 1959 | Also serviced the Lincolnshire area until 1974, when it was transferred to Yorkshire Television's service area. Previously known as Anglia Television until 2004 |
ITV Border | English-Scottish border and Isle of Man | September 1, 1961 | Previously known as Border Television until 2004 |
ITV Breakfast | National breakfast franchise (6 a.m.-9:25 a.m.) | January 1, 1993 | Previously known as GMTV until September 3, 2010 |
ITV Central | Midlands | January 1, 1982 | Previously known as Central Independent Television until 2004 |
ITV Channel Television | Channel Islands | September 1, 1962 | Previously known simply as Channel Television until 2004 |
ITV Cymru Wales | Wales | May 20, 1968 | Formerly operated as Harlech Television, 1968-1970, then as HTV until 2004; the Wales portion of HTV aired programming in English (as HTV Wales) and Welsh (as HTV Cymru) until the Welsh-language S4C went on-air on November 1, 1982. Also serviced the West of England region until January 1, 2014, when it was transferred to ITV Westcountry's service area |
ITV Granada | Northwest England | May 3, 1956 | Formerly serviced the North of England region on weekdays until the region was split into Northwest England and Yorkshire in 1968. Previously known as Granada Television until 2004 |
ITV Meridian | South and Southeast England | January 1, 1993 | Previously known as Meridian Broadcasting until 2004 |
ITV Tyne Tees | Northeast England | January 15, 1959 | Previously known as Tyne Tees Television until 2004 |
ITV Westcountry | Southwest England and West of England | January 1, 1993 | Previously known as Westcountry Television until 2004; expanded service to include the West of England region after that region was separated from ITV Wales & West (now ITV Cymru Wales) on January 1, 2014 |
ITV Yorkshire | Yorkshire | July 29, 1968 | Formerly serviced on weekdays by Granada Television and on weekends by ABC Television as part of the North of England region until the region was split in 1968; expanded service to Lincolnshire, formerly serviced by Anglia Television, in 1974. Previously known as Yorkshire Television until 2004 |
London Weekend Television | London weekends (5:15 p.m. Friday-5:59 a.m. Monday) | August 2, 1968 | Formerly ran from 7 p.m. Friday to closedown Sunday night/Monday morning until 1982. Although separately licenced from Carlton Television, the two franchises have been known on-air as ITV London (previously ITV1 London) since 2002 |
STV Central | Central Scotland | August 31, 1957 | Previously known as Scottish Television until 2006. Brands on-air as STV |
STV North | Northern Scotland | September 30, 1961 | Previously known as Grampian Television until 2006. Brands on-air as STV |
UTV | Northern Ireland | October 31, 1959 | Previously known as Ulster Television, 1959-1993 |
Former contractors (with service region and dates of operation)
Station | Region | Dates of operation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
ABC Television | Midlands and North of England weekends | February 18, 1956-July 28, 1968 (Midlands) May 5, 1956-July 28, 1968 (North of England) |
Merged with Rediffusion London to form Thames Television in 1968 as a condition of receiving the London weekday contract in the 1967 franchise round |
Associated-Rediffusion | London weekdays | September 22, 1955-July 29, 1968 | Later operated as Rediffusion London, 1964-1968; merged with ABC Television to form Thames Television in 1968 after ABC won the London weekday contract in the 1967 franchise round, as a condition of ABC's awarding of the contract |
Associated Television | London weekends and Midlands weekdays until 1968; Midlands all week after 1968 | September 24, 1955-July 28, 1968 (London weekends) February 17, 1956-July 26, 1968 (Midlands weekdays) July 29, 1968-December 31, 1981 (Midlands all week) | |
Independent Television Service for Wales and the West | Wales and West of England, English-language | March 4-May 20, 1968 | Served as an interim ITV contractor for the Wales and West of England region after TWW left the air until Harlech Television was ready to sign on |
Southern Television | South and Southeast England | August 30, 1958-December 31, 1981 | |
Thames Television | London weekdays | July 30, 1968-December 31, 1992 | Ran from 6 a.m. Monday to 7 p.m. Friday until 1982, and from 9:25 a.m. Monday to 5:15 p.m. Friday after 1982 |
Teledu Cymru (Wales West and North Television) | Wales, Welsh-language | September 14, 1962-January 26, 1964 | Merged with TWW |
Television South West | Southwest England | January 1, 1982-December 31, 1992 | |
Television South | South and Southeast England | January 1, 1982-December 31, 1992 | |
Television Wales and the West | Wales and West of England, English-language | January 14, 1958-March 3, 1968 | |
TV-am | National breakfast franchise (6 a.m.-9:25 a.m.) | February 1, 1983-December 31, 1992 | |
Westward Television | Southwest England | April 29, 1961-December 31, 1981 |