(ITV) Merit

Apologies for my continuous spamming of this thread today, but I have just learnt something likely of interest - merchandise was actually created for the launch of the channel by/within ITV. A user on the Digital Spy Forums posted that things such as mugs were manufactured for ITV staff only. (https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/comment/97312395#Comment_97312395)

It sounds like an awful lot of, and disproportionate, effort for a channel that was just part of a workaround so Sky Arts could launch high up the Freeview EPG. Perhaps it was to stop staff significantly considering such a theory and dupe them into thinking ITV or Sky were actually serious about it becoming a proper channel down the line, which seemingly was the prevailing sentiment when it launched.

ITV's office team have a habit of getting just about anything new the company's doing printed onto mugs and cushions. I wouldn't read too much into it, getting a few mugs printed costs nothing and requires minimal effort.

True. If they put effort into making animated break bumpers/fillers for a channel they'd only have control over for a matter of weeks, merchandising its launch doesn't seem as big a surprise.

Is tonight the last night for certain or is Merit moving to a new slot from tomorrow?

Merit was deactivated this morning ahead of the other changes happening now.

What's that then - 50 days from launch until closure. Must be a record surely.

I believe it is. Shorter than this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Television_Service_for_Wales_and_the_West

Presumably the cost of the mugs was covered several times over by the money that ITV received to effectively sell its rights to use channel 34. I'd be keeping my eye out on CCXTV for what that does next.

Wonder how much a Merit mug would go for on Ebay...

Not very much?

I'd be willing to pay £3.84 and not a penny more.

Technically, weren't the snappily-named 'ITSWW' simply Harlech (HTV) broadcasting before they were fully ready, and even showing TWW programmes?

Similar to the situation when TSW started early in 1981 in the South West when Westward went home early from the game and took the ball with them.