Commercial Television
Independent Television (ITV, 1955-)
ITV is a British free-to-air Television network. It was launched in 1955 to provide competition to BBC Television, that was established in 1932. ITV is the oldest commercial network in the UK.
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TV Times (1955-)
TVTimes is a television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom, known for its access to television actors and their programmes.
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Associated-Rediffusion (1955-1968)
Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 1954 and 1968. Transmissions started in September 1955 and the company is credited with being the first Independent Television company to be launched.
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Associated Television (ATV, 1955-1982)
Associated Television (ATV), a former British television company, was awarded the franchise by the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide the Independent Television service at weekends for the London region. This service started in September 1955. ATV was also awarded the franchise to provide the weekdays service for the Midlands region. This service started in February 1956.
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Associated British Corporation (ABC Television, 1956-1968)
ABC Weekend TV (otherwise known as ABC Television and Associated British Corporation) was one of a number of commercial television companies established in the United Kingdom during the 1950s by cinema chain companies, in an attempt to safeguard their business by becoming involved with television, which was taking away their cinema audiences. The company was awarded the franchises for weekend programming in the Midlands and North of England.
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Granada Television (1956-)
ITV Granada (formerly Granada Television) is a regional television company in North West England. It is the largest independent television-franchise producing company in the UK, accounting for 25% of the total broadcasting output of the ITV network.
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Scottish Television (1957-)
Scottish Television is the ITV franchise for Central Scotland. The channel - the largest of the three ITV franchises in Scotland - has been in operation since 1957 and is the second oldest franchise holder still active (the oldest being Granada Television).
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Television Wales and the West (TWW, 1958-1968)
Television Wales and the West (TWW) was the British "Independent Television" (commercial television) contractor for the franchise area serving 'South Wales and West of England' 1956–1968.
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Southern Television (1958-1981)
Southern Television was the ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 1958 to 1981. Southern Television ceased broadcasting in 1982, after a review during the 1980 franchise round gave the contract to Television South.
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Tyne Tees (1959-)
ITV Tyne Tees, previously known as Tyne Tees, Channel 3 North East and Tyne Tees Television, is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire.
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Anglia Television (1959-)
ITV Anglia, previously known as Anglia Television or Anglia, is the ITV franchise holder for the East of England. Anglia Television launched in October 1959.
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Ulster Television (UTV, 1959-)
UTV (formerly Ulster Television) is a commercial television broadcaster in Northern Ireland owned and operated by ITV plc as part of the ITV Network. Formed in November 1958 and appointed as programme contractor for the Independent Television Authority soon after, UTV became the first indigenous broadcaster in Northern Ireland.
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Westward Television (1961-1981)
Westward Television was the first ITV franchise holder for the South West of England holding the franchise between 1961 and 1981.
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Border Television (1961-2004)
ITV Border, previously Border Television, is the Channel 3 service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the England/Scotland border region, covering most of Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway, the Scottish Borders and parts of Northumberland. The TV service previously covered the Isle of Man from 1965 until 2009.
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Grampian Television (1961-2006)
Grampian Television (now known as STV North Ltd and referred to on-air as STV) is the ITV franchisee for the North and North East of Scotland. Its coverage area includes the Northern Isles, the Western Isles, the Highlands (except Fort William and Lochaber, which have always received Scottish Television), Grampian, Tayside (except the Kinross area), and parts of north Fife. The station has been in operation since September 1961.
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Channel Television (1962-)
ITV Channel Television, previously Channel Television, is a British television station which has served as the ITV contractor for the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey and broadcasts regional programme for insertion into the network ITV schedule.
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Wales West and North Television (WWN)/Teledu Cymru (1961-1964)
Wales (West and North) Television, known on screen as Teledu Cymru ("TV Wales" in Welsh) and often abbreviated to WWN, was the Welsh "Independent Television" (commercial television) contractor awarded the franchise area serving North and West Wales. It began transmitting in September 1962, and ceased in January 1964 through financial failure; the franchise area was soon combined with the South Wales and West of England area, operated by TWW.
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Independent Television Service for Wales and the West (ITSW, 1968)
Independent Television Service for Wales and the West or ITSW was a temporary emergency service provided by the ITA in light of the early termination of service of the previous franchise holder, TWW after they lost their ITV franchise in 1967.
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Harlech Television (HTV, 1968-2013)
Harlech Television was awarded the contract for providing commercial broadcasting in Wales and the West of England by the Independent Television Authority in July 1967, replacing the incumbent TWW.
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London Weekend Television (LWT 1968-2002)
London Weekend Television (LWT) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, from 1968 until 2002.
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Yorkshire Television (1968-2002)
ITV Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire Television, were awarded the new franchise for Yorkshire after the North region was split and Granada Television retained the North West. The station began broadcasting in July 1968.
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Thames Television (1968-1992)
Thames Television was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding area on weekdays from July 1968 until December 1992.
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Central Independent Television (1982-2002)
ATV was re-awarded its contract for the dual Midlands region, but was considered by the IBA to have not focused on the region enough. As a result, changes were ordered including a new name. It settled on the name Central Independent Television.
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Televison South (TVS, 1982-1992)
Television South (TVS) was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between January 1982 and December 1992. During its 11-year history, TVS produced a number of notable programmes for the ITV network especially in the fields of drama, light entertainment and children's programming.
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Televison South West (TSW, 1982-1992)
Television South West (TSW) was the ITV franchise holder in the south west region of England between January 1982 and December 1992, succeeding incumbent Westward Television, which had served the area since 1961.
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Channel 4 (1982-)
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster that began transmission in November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned.
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TV-am (1983-1992)
TV-am was a TV company that broadcast the ITV franchise for breakfast television in the United Kingdom from February 1983 until December 1992. The station was the UK's first national operator of a commercial breakfast television franchise.
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Carlton Television (1993-2002)
Carlton Television (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV franchise holder for London and the surrounding counties Monday morning to Friday evening.
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Meridian Broadcasting (1993-2002)
ITV Meridian (previously Meridian Broadcasting) is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station was launched in January 1993, replacing previous broadcaster Television South.
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Westcountry Television (1993-2002)
ITV Westcountry, formerly known as Westcountry Television and Carlton Westcountry, was the ITV franchise holder for the south west of England, covering Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, southern and western Somerset and western Dorset. The company replaced its predecessor, TSW (Television South West), from January 1993.
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GMTV (1993-2010)
GMTV was the name of the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor/licensee, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from January 1993 to September 2010.
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Channel 5 (1997-)
Channel 5 is a British free-to-air television network launched in 1997; the fifth national terrestrial network in the United Kingdom.
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