Scottish pres discussion Thread

An ITV spokesman said: "ITV Network has always entered into agreements for the benefit of all Channel 3 licensees and strongly disputes any allegation by STV to the contrary.

"It is also important to note that STV is already being paid a revenue share on deals which have been struck on behalf of all licensees and therefore any claim that STV has suffered financial loss is baseless."

That story has since been updated:

I think this relates to things like the ITV Player appearing (with ITV 1 fontcap) on things like Virgin Media's cable TV on demand service. I'm guessing STV don't get any cash from any deals here and were possibly never asked about branding. There is quite a decent cable presence in the central belt so it could be quite galling for the STV chiefs with cable in their homes.

I'm guessing the rest could relate to any possible deals about streaming ITV Player on mobile devices, consoles etc.

Very clever ITV people have not highlighted the other issues in this;

THE ITV branding on such players.........

STV director of broadcasting and regulatory affairs Bobby Hain said ITV was “invading STV’s territory” with its constant on-air references to ITV1, ITV.com and digital channels such as ITV2.

Hain added that the right to a clean feed went back to the “strong regional roots” of ITV.

“You only have to watch at the weekend to see the amount of references and competitions in programmes to ITV services,” he said. “As an STV viewer, you should be able to have a relationship with us that is built around the licence, and it should be free from ITV messages and ITV promotions. It’s certainly our view that much of the promotion for ITV properties is a breach of the clean feed.”

Hain added that STV was reserving its position but was prepared to fight for its entitlements.

But ITV hit back at Hain’s claims, with a spokesman saying he was “inaccurately describing the clean feed obligation as one which entitles STV to receive a transmission feed entirely free of references to ITV.

“It’s important to make clear that it actually requires ITV to provide a feed which is as clean as it was at the time the merger undertakings were given – in short, containing no increase in such references,” he said.

Earlier this year, ITV introduced separate end-credit captions for the stv.tv website on Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and agreed to limit references in the ITV News to itv.com to 2003 levels. References to itv.com were also taken off the credits.

Separately, Hain said STV would continue to opt out of ITV dramas to diversify its schedule. The broadcaster has passed on one-off Christmas dramas An Englishman in New York and Sleep With Me, and is still deciding if The Prisoner will be shown next year.

How do they expect ITV to operate as a 21st century broadcaster and compete on a level playing field with other channels if they are unable to cross promote ITV2 spin-off shows and websites?

I would prefer for there to be still regional ITV but more importantly I would prefer for there to be a way to make regional tv work in this era of digital tv and sadly there doesn't seem to be a way.

I'm negative towards STV's programming decisions as I can only imagine the discussions that would take place here and on other forums if it was network ITV1 that were making their decisions. I doubt the 'they are showing rubbish now so they can pay for better stuff later' excuse would cut it.

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Drama I would like to see. Comedy too. All in production.