History Creator / ITV

Defunct ITV channels include the ''ITV News Channel'' - operated by ITN - and the ''ITV Sport Channel'', a failed venture into the early terrestial Pay-TV market, the collapse of which nearly bankrupted the British Basketball League, and left a lot of other niche British sports leagues in financial trouble. Also included were the Carlton Pay-TV networks (Carlton Food, Carlton Select, Carlton World, Carlton Cinema, and Carlton Kids); these were all shut down by 2003, as well as Granada Sky Broadcasting's channels (a joint-venture between them and BSkyB, which included Granada Plus, mainly showing older Granada/LWT archive programming; Granada Men & Motors, which screened various "men-oriented" programmes; Granada Talk TV, showing UK & US talk/chat shows; and Granada Good Life, sectioned into four different "blocks": Granada TV High Street, Home & Garden, Health & Beauty, and Food & Wine. Talk TV was the first to go, in 1997; Good Life rebranded as Granada Breeze before shutting down in 2002; Granada Plus was unceremoniously replaced by ITV3 in 2004 (on the day of the launch of the latter, so as to get it on BSkyB as soon as possible); Men & Motors lasted until 2010, when it was shuttered to make way for ITV HD; its remaining programming was moved to ITV4).

For a brief period, STV went through a phase of dropping network programming (it opted out of showing ''Series/TheBill'' and ''Series/MidsomerMurders'') in favour of showing its own productions and acquired content (such as ''{{Underbelly}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''). It looked like withdrawing fully and form a rival setup, but counter lawsuits between ITV and STV have seen this fall by the wayside. The disputes have been settled.

* '''[[UsefulNotes/NorthEastEngland North East England]]''': '''Tyne Tees Television''' from 1959.

ITV has been having a lot of problems recently, due to the "credit crunch" hitting its income in a huge manner and general poor quality. Drama shows have been hit badly — ''{{Demons}}'' was poor, for a start. ''WireInTheBlood'' and its flagship prime-time show ''{{Primeval}}'' were cancelled, though the latter was brought back with help from [[Creator/TheBBC The Other Side]].

Many of ITV's prime-time flagships have received a lot of viewer attention but very little critical success, such as ''Pop Idol'' (and its successors ''TheXFactor'' and ''Series/AmericanIdol'') and ''Series/BritainsGotTalent''. It has also found a (justified) reputation for celebrity-reality rubbish like ''Celebrity Wrestling'' and ''Celeb Air''. Its biggest LongRunners are soaps ''CoronationStreet'' and ''{{Emmerdale}}'', and there are concerns that ITV is losing any new quality programming.

For a brief period, STV went through a phase of dropping network programming (it opted out of showing ''Series/TheBill'' and ''MidsomerMurders'') in favour of showing its own productions and acquired content (such as ''{{Underbelly}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''). It looked like withdrawing fully and form a rival setup, but counter lawsuits between ITV and STV have seen this fall by the wayside. The disputes have been settled.

* '''[=ITV2=]''': Mostly aimed at younger viewers. Airs the behind-the-scenes spinoffs of [[BritainsGotTalent Cowell-based]] [[TheXFactor talent contests]], as well as celebrity documentaries and, er, ''TheOnlyWayIsEssex''. Also does midweek repeats of ITV weekend programming.[[note]]The remote control units from a number of old television sets (made c1980) have an[= ITV2=] button. This is not the same thing. At the time there was speculation of an analogue [=ITV2=] to go with [=BBC2=]. It didn't happen, and that button usually ended up meaning Creator/{{Channel 4}}; until that channel launched, it would often be used to receive another ITV station so viewers could have another choice for programming.[[/note]]
* '''[=ITV3=]''': Aimed at older viewers. Mostly broadcasts British crime dramas, like ''[[Series/{{Poirot}} Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'', ''ATouchOfFrost'' and ''MidsomerMurders'', as well as older comedies like ''Series/OnTheBuses'' and ''Series/MrBean''.
* '''[=ITV4=]''': Something a 'miscellaneous' channel; the programming is mostly aimed at men. A lot of it's cop shows (real and fictional) and sports. Rather obscure; Creator/StephenFry once joked, as Peter Series/{{Kingdom}}, "''Is'' there an [=ITV4=]?"

Defunct ITV channels include the ''ITV News Channel''- operated by ITN- and the ''ITV Sport Channel'', a failed venture into the early terrestial Pay-TV market, the collapse of which nearly bankrupted the British Basketball League, and left a lot of other niche British sports leagues in financial trouble. Also included were the Carlton Pay-TV networks (Carlton Food, Carlton Select, Carlton World, Carlton Cinema, and Carlton Kids); these were all shut down by 2003, as well as Granada Sky Broadcasting's channels (a joint-venture between them and BSkyB, which included Granada Plus, mainly showing older Granada/LWT archive programming; Granada Men & Motors, which screened various "men-oriented" programmes; Granada Talk TV, showing UK & US talk/chat shows; and Granada Good Life, sectioned into four different "blocks": Granada TV High Street, Home & Garden, Health & Beauty, and Food & Wine. Talk TV was the first to go, in 1997; Good Life rebranded as Granada Breeze before shutting down in 2002; Granada Plus was unceremoniously replaced by ITV3 in 2004 (on the day of the launch of the latter, as to get it on BSkyB as soon as possible); Men & Motors lasted until 2010, when it was shuttered to make way for ITV HD; it's remaining programming was moved to ITV4).

* '''UsefulNotes/{{London}}''': Served by different stations during the week ('''Associated-Rediffusion/Rediffusion London''' from 1955-68, '''Creator/ThamesTelevision''' from 1968-92, and '''Carlton''' from 1993) and on weekends ('''ATV London''' from 1955-68, '''London Weekend Television/LWT''' from 1968).

* '''[[UsefulNotes/TheWestCountry South West England]]''': '''Westward''' from 1961-81, '''Television South West/TSW''' from 1982-92, '''Westcountry''' from 1993.

!!!Broadcasts on five main channels:

* '''[=ITV2=]''': Mostly aimed at younger viewers. Airs the behind-the-scenes spinoffs of [[BritainsGotTalent Cowell-based]] [[TheXFactor talent contests]], as well as celebrity documentaries and, er, ''TheOnlyWayIsEssex''. Also does midweek repeats of ITV weekend programming.[[note]]The remote control units from a number of old television sets (made c1980) have an[= ITV2=] button. This is not the same thing. At the time there was speculation of an analogue [=ITV2=] to go with [=BBC2=]. It didn't happen, and that button usually ended up meaning Creator/{{Channel 4}}[[/note]]

Defunct ITV channels include the ''ITV News Channel''- operated by ITN- and the ''ITV Sport Channel'', a failed venture into the early terrestial Pay-TV market, the collapse of which nearly bankrupted the British Basketball League, and left a lot of other niche British sports leagues in financial trouble.

* '''[=ITV2=]''': Mostly aimed at younger viewers. Airs the behind-the-scenes spinoffs of [[BritainsGotTalent Cowell-based]] [[TheXFactor talent contests]], as well as celebrity documentaries and, er, ''TheOnlyWayIsEssex''. Also does midweek repeats of ITV weekend programming.

* '''{{CITV}}''': Kids' channel. For a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays, its programming is broadcast on ITV. Not to be confused with TV station CITV in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (which was long branded as ITV before it became the city's Creator/{{Global}} affiliate, known as "Global Edmonton").

ITV gets its news programmes from ITN (Independent Television News), who have provided news bulletins for the network since Day One and which was originally controlled by all of the ITV companies. The station's flagship news bulletin, ''NewsAtTen'', was first broadcast in 1967 and has continued on and off since (also, nowadays most ITV news bulletins still use a variation on the original ''NewsAtTen'' theme tune). ITN also provides Creator/ChannelFour with its news programme, as well as celebrity/entertainment news coverage for Creator/ChannelFour's flagship music channel, 4Music. They used to do the news for Creator/ChannelFive, as well, until 2005 when they lost the contract to Creator/{{Sky}}. They eventually regained the contract in 2012. ITN also makes a short entertainment news programme for digital channel 5*.

* '''[[OopNorth North of England]]''': Initially served by different stations during the week ('''Creator/{{Granada}}''') and on weekends ('''ABC''') from 1956-68, then split to '''Granada''' all week round in the '''[[FootballPopMusicAndFlatCaps North West]]''' and '''Yorkshire Television''' all week round in, erm, Yorkshire, from 1968.

'''ITV''' ('''Independent Television''') is the British commercial television service which started broadcasting in 1955 as a rival to TheBBC. The broadcaster's main channel broadcasts on Channel 3 across the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man and since the late 1990s ITV have launched further national channels on the British digital television platforms.

* '''[[HomeCounties South and South East England]]''': '''Southern Television''' from 1958-81, '''Television South/TVS''' from 1982-92, and '''Meridian Broadcasting''' from 1993.
* '''[[NorthEastEngland North East England]]''': '''Tyne Tees Television''' from 1959.
* '''EastAnglia''': '''Anglia Television''' from 1959.

* '''[[TheWestCountry South West England]]''': '''Westward''' from 1961-81, '''Television South West/TSW''' from 1982-92, '''Westcountry''' from 1993.

The children's department closed a couple of years back, its last production being [[http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Scratch_%27n%27_Sniff%27s_Den_of_Doom a show involving two child-eating hyenas.]] Regional studio centres were shut down and sold off, leading to ''TheStreet'' (which it makes for TheBBC) being cancelled despite winning Emmys.

* '''UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland''': '''Ulster Television/UTV''' from 1959. Still operates under that name.

* '''[=ITV4=]''': Something a 'miscellaneous' channel; the programming is mostly aimed at men. A lot of it's cop shows (real and fictional) and sports.

For a brief period, STV went through a phase of dropping network programming (it opted out of showing ''TheBill'' and ''MidsomerMurders'') in favour of showing its own productions and acquired content (such as ''{{Underbelly}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''). It looked like withdrawing fully and form a rival setup, but counter lawsuits between ITV and STV have seen this fall by the wayside. The disputes have been settled.

* '''[[TheMidlands Central England]]''': Initially served by different stations during the week ('''ATV Midlands''') and on weekends ('''ABC''') from 1955-68, then '''ATV''' all week round from 1968-81, then '''Central''' (also all week round) from 1982.

The London weekday/weekend split is an historical relic from the days of [[MediaWatchdog tighter regulation]]. The feeling back then was that a single London franchise would be too powerful a force in the ITV Network, so its broadcasting hours were divided among two companies. This was also done in the Midlands and in the North of England, but eventually one broadcaster was elected to broadcast all week long in these parts of the country.

* '''[=ITV3=]''': Aimed at older viewers. Mostly broadcasts British crime dramas, like ''[[Series/{{Poirot}} Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'', ''ATouchOfFrost'' and ''MidsomerMurders'', as well as older comedies like ''Series/OnTheBuses'' and ''MrBean''.

Many of ITV's prime-time flagships have received a lot of viewer attention but very little critical success, such as ''Pop Idol'' (and its successors ''TheXFactor'' and ''AmericanIdol'') and ''Series/BritainsGotTalent''. It has also found a (justified) reputation for celebrity-reality rubbish like ''Celebrity Wrestling'' and ''Celeb Air''. Its biggest LongRunners are soaps ''CoronationStreet'' and ''{{Emmerdale}}'', and there are concerns that ITV is losing any new quality programming.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{London}}''': Served by different stations during the week ('''Associated-Rediffusion/Rediffusion London''' from 1955-68, '''ThamesTelevision''' from 1968-92, and '''Carlton''' from 1993) and on weekends ('''ATV London''' from 1955-68, '''London Weekend Television/LWT''' from 1968).

The ITV companies best known outside the UK were Creator/{{Granada}}, ThamesTelevision, and [[LondonWeekendTelevision LWT]]. ATV, although a major network provider, used a sister company, ITC Entertainment, to distribute shows internationally.

* '''UsefulNotes/{{London}}''': Served by different stations during the week ('''Associated-Rediffusion/Rediffusion London''' from 1955-68, '''Thames''' from 1968-92, and '''Carlton''' from 1993) and on weekends ('''ATV London''' from 1955-68, '''London Weekend Television/LWT''' from 1968).

ITV gets its news programmes from ITN (Independent Television News), who have provided news bulletins for the network since Day One and which was originally controlled by all of the ITV companies. The station's flagship news bulletin, ''NewsAtTen'', was first broadcast in 1967 and has continued on and off since (also, nowadays most ITV news bulletins still use a variation on the original ''NewsAtTen'' theme tune). ITN also provides Creator/ChannelFour with its news programme, as well as celebrity/entertainment news coverage for Creator/ChannelFour's flagship music channel, 4Music. They used to do the news for ChannelFive, as well, until 2005 when they lost the contract to [[RupertMurdoch Sky]]. They eventually regained the contract in 2012. ITN also makes a short entertainment news programme for digital channel 5*.

ITV has been having a lot of problems recently, due to the "credit crunch" hitting its income in a huge manner and general poor quality. Drama shows have been hit badly — ''{{Demons}}'' was poor, for a start. ''WireInTheBlood'' and its flagship prime-time show ''{{Primeval}}'' were cancelled, though the latter was brought back with help from [[TheBBC The Other Side]].

* '''[=CITV=]''': Kids' channel. For a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays, its programming is broadcast on ITV. Not to be confused with TV station CITV in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (which was long branded as ITV before it became the city's Creator/{{Global}} affiliate, known as "Global Edmonton").

* '''[[OopNorth North of England]]''': Initially served by different stations during the week ('''{{Granada}}''') and on weekends ('''ABC''') from 1956-68, then split to '''Granada''' all week round in the '''[[FootballPopMusicAndFlatCaps North West]]''' and '''Yorkshire Television''' all week round in, erm, Yorkshire, from 1968.

The ITV companies best known outside the UK were {{Granada}}, ThamesTelevision, and [[LondonWeekendTelevision LWT]]. ATV, although a major network provider, used a sister company, ITC Entertainment, to distribute shows internationally.

ITV gets its news programmes from ITN (Independent Television News), who have provided news bulletins for the network since Day One and which was originally controlled by all of the ITV companies. The station's flagship news bulletin, ''NewsAtTen'', was first broadcast in 1967 and has continued on and off since (also, nowadays most ITV news bulletins still use a variation on the original ''NewsAtTen'' theme tune). ITN also provides ChannelFour with its news programme, as well as celebrity/entertainment news coverage for ChannelFour's flagship music channel, 4Music. They used to do the news for ChannelFive, as well, until 2005 when they lost the contract to [[RupertMurdoch Sky]]. They eventually regained the contract in 2012. ITN also makes a short entertainment news programme for digital channel 5*.

* '''[=CITV=]''': Kids' channel. For a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays, its programming is broadcast on ITV. Not to be confused with TV station CITV in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (which was long branded as ITV before it became the city's GlobalTelevisionNetwork affiliate, known as "Global Edmonton").

* '''[[LondonTown London]]''': Served by different stations during the week ('''Associated-Rediffusion/Rediffusion London''' from 1955-68, '''Thames''' from 1968-92, and '''Carlton''' from 1993) and on weekends ('''ATV London''' from 1955-68, '''London Weekend Television/LWT''' from 1968).

* '''Cumbria, [[BonnieScotland South Scotland]], and the Isle of Man''': '''Border Television''' from 1961.
* '''[[BonnieScotland North Scotland]]''': '''Grampian Television/STV (North)''' from 1961.
* '''[[FourLittleTaxHavens Channel Islands]]''': '''Channel Television''' from 1962.

* '''[=ITV3=]''': Aimed at older viewers. Mostly broadcasts British crime dramas, like ''[[{{Poirot}} Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'', ''ATouchOfFrost'' and ''MidsomerMurders'', as well as older comedies like ''OnTheBuses'' and ''MrBean''.