ITV regions debate

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

Hi all,

Just now me and a friend had an argument over whether the separate regional ITV brands would work today over a single unified ITV channel. (STV withstanding) My friend said he preferred the regional brands, comparing them to PBS. So I'm curious to hear your opinions on it. Would the regions have worked today or was the unification necessary?

Thanks for reading!

[Neil Jones]

No. ITV plc would have happened regardless of whether the regions were called Granada, Carlton, Loompaland or Gasforth.

Next question?

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

No.  ITV plc would have happened regardless of whether the regions were called Granada, Carlton, Loompaland or Gasforth.

Next question?

Okay, you're missing my point slightly. The unification happened before Carlton and Granada merged to form ITV plc. The question I'm trying to ask is would the regions work today in this age of digital media and streaming?

Also, you don't have to be rude about it.

[telebox2001]

Not in a multichannel and streaming world. The requirement for 15 different catchup players then one for the other channels, it would be very complex.

Although we have a fondness for the old names, it's been 20 years this year for most of the network. All but one person are now indifferent of the switch from UTV to ITV, and the hill I'll absolutely die on is that if STV joined the fold next week, I think most Scots wouldn't even notice, apart from being able to catch up on one app for everything.

[Neil Jones]

No.  ITV plc would have happened regardless of whether the regions were called Granada, Carlton, Loompaland or Gasforth.

Next question?

Okay, you're missing my point slightly. The unification happened before Carlton and Granada merged to form ITV plc. The question I'm trying to ask is would the regions work today in this age of digital media and streaming?

Also, you don't have to be rude about it.

You miss my point. ITV Plc would have happened regardless, maybe under different circumstances or path, but it would have happened regardless of who held the licences. If the regions were viable then ITV plc wouldn't have happened. Simple as.

[Steve in Pudsey]

I think people forget that we had dual branding for several decades ("This is Yorkshire Television, your station on the ITV network"). A unified ITV Player wouldn't have been a problem had that continued.

American viewers don't seem to have a problem with their system of networks and local affiliates.

[Brekkie]

Just on the "what if" situation worth noting the ITV Regional Franchises are currently up for renewal. Almost certain to be just renewed to keep ITV/STV in place of course but just imagine for a minute what might happen if we had say a culture secretary who didn't have a full understanding of how the UK TV industry was structured and liked to put things up for auction...

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

Okay, you're missing my point slightly. The unification happened before Carlton and Granada merged to form ITV plc. The question I'm trying to ask is would the regions work today in this age of digital media and streaming?

Also, you don't have to be rude about it.

You miss my point.  ITV Plc would have happened regardless, maybe under different circumstances or path, but it would have happened regardless of who held the licences.  If the regions were viable then ITV plc wouldn't have happened.  Simple as.

I know ITV plc would've eventually happened. My question is if the regions would work today if under some circumstance it never happened.

[London Lite]

To be frank, no. Like many at the time, I wasn't happy with the loss of the regional brands, but in a multichannel environment where a uniformed brand is essential to compete against not just linear rivals, but also the streamers, ITV is in a much stronger position today because of the use of a single brand across the majority of the country.

[Neil Jones]

I know ITV plc would've eventually happened. My question is if the regions would work today if under some circumstance it never happened.

As I've already said - no.
You can ask the question until the cows come home - but its not going to change the answer you'll get.

These days the likes of Meridian, Central, LWT... nostalgic names but can you imagine the whole LWT Player, Meridian Player, HTV Player... sixteen different players? That's bordering on something ridiculous especially if they were all geolocked to postcodes. Plus you can guarantee in London somebody would try to look at Thames Player for an LWT offering (or vice-versa).

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

I know ITV plc would've eventually happened. My question is if the regions would work today if under some circumstance it never happened.

As I've already said - no.
You can ask the question until the cows come home - but its not going to change the answer you'll get.

These days the likes of Meridian, Central, LWT... nostalgic names but can you imagine the whole LWT Player, Meridian Player, HTV Player...  sixteen different players?  That's bordering on something ridiculous especially if they were all geolocked to postcodes.  Plus you can guarantee in London somebody would try to look at Thames Player for an LWT offering (or vice-versa).

Well I agree with you, in fact in my original post I was on the side of "yay uniformity"

[harshy]

Yeah as much as I miss the itv regions it was in a bygone era where it was a licence to print money, so they could compete against one another which probably made for a wide diversity of programmes. It was always a thrill to see an endcap of an itv region that you wouldn’t normally see (ie ctv, Grampian), I will always remember that, but yeah in this era no chance of it working.

[Stuart]

Just on the "what if" situation worth noting the ITV Regional Franchises are currently up for renewal.

I'm surprised that they even bother going through the process for the regions individually, although it provides a job for someone at Ofcom once every 10 years.

It would surely be simpler just to have a single licence for England/Wales/NI/CI/IOM, and another one for Scotland, with the same PSB requirements for both.

ITV as a network was stumbling towards a 'single identity' from the late 1980s onwards, but was hampered by the rules on how many franchises a company could own.  Once that was relaxed, what we have today was inevitable.

I'm just surprised that STV has managed to remain independent for so long.

[telebox2001]

It's worth noting that there were attempts at unity way before even the 1991 franchise round.

It could be argued that 2002 was the culmination of a 13-year plan. Even if Thames won in London, the endgame would have been remarkably similar if not identical.
Carlton would have bought their way in. Central with its £2k a year levy had hostile takeover written all over it. Granada would have had no less of an appetite for expansion and that would have still fostered a culture of "acquire or be acquired." You'd still have a duopoly - which after 2002 acted like a single player anyway.

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

Just on the "what if" situation worth noting the ITV Regional Franchises are currently up for renewal.

I'm surprised that they even bother going through the process for the regions individually, although it provides a job for someone at Ofcom once every 10 years.

It would surely be simpler just to have a single licence for England/Wales/NI/CI/IOM, and another one for Scotland, with the same PSB requirements for both.

ITV as a network was stumbling towards a 'single identity' from the late 1980s onwards, but was hampered by the rules on how many franchises a company could own.  Once that was relaxed, what we have today was inevitable.

I'm just surprised that STV has managed to remain independent for so long.

Yea, I think the 1990 broadcasting act was when it all started to come tumbling down.