The 1980 ITV franchise auction

The thing is though, all of what you've said, whilst completely true, is really a tautology.

If someone at the IBA had had the harebrained idea of asking Border and Grampian to make all the weekend's output, that is ultimately what would have happened. Those licencees would have simply ceased to be small regional companies, and would have likely changed hands to where the money actually came from.

Large-scale programming is profitable if critical mass is achieved (and the freedom to produce a number of hours of primetime would provide that critical mass). Essentially LWT's staff would have upped sticks to Carlisle and the system would have adapted.

It wouldn't have been an ideal situation, and it may not have been all that successful, but it's not as if Border would have simply remained as-is and drowned under the weight of their commitments.

It has to be said though that people on this thread are taking things to extremes. I don't think anyone is realistically suggesting that the smallest of the ITV stations would have produced anything significant (although Border were punching well above their weight in the mid 80s). But by the 1980s TVS (and the other 3 or 4 mid-sized companies -- Tyne Tees may or may not be included in this as they were always much smaller than the other middle-ground companies) were quite right to ask for more input into the system, especially as most of them had invested heavily (for their size) anticipating programming opps for Channel 4.

Southern's regional programmes were "not good"? That's a bit of a bold statement isn't it?

I thought Southern's basic problem was its complacency with its dealings with the IBA -- I didn't think their programme quality was really in question was it?

1970's BBC mind set, they still hadn't really come to terms with the existence of ITV (even after 25 years)

When TVS were calling themselves 'Television South' in the months leading up to launch, BBC South complained saying their name would cause viewer confusion, and they mounted a local press campaign, and on screen promos saying, 'BBC TV South, beware of imitations'

Yea right ! I recall an editorial in my local paper, where it was suggested they needed to 'grow up'.

BBC South had very few competitors in radio too in the 1970s.
While they had Radios Solent and Brighton in the main part of their area, there were only the small scale Radio Victory in Portsmouth and Radio 210 in Reading
.
Was Southern's failing that they only concentrated on the coastal part of the region, and not the inland part?
Much as a lot of ITV and BBC stations super serving the city they were based in.

Southern had a number of issues, including its shareholders, its local programming and its lack of making an effort ie a cash cow. TVS had local shareholders, promise to spend more money and stop treating the area like a cash cow, make more local programmes including two news services ( Im not sure of southern had plans for this ) and of course TVS had plans to get more network content, which the ITA like.

There was a bit of that. To be fair, their area didn't really extend that far 'inland' until Hannington UHF came along in 1971. They carried on mentally with the VHF /405 area they'd had since 58. Much the same applied to the Beeb as well though !

Much of Hannington's area was previously served on VHF by Crystal P/Croydon, so having a new fangled UHF colour telly, also provided the culture shock of regional non metropolitan TV for the first time !

Southern TV submitted an eight page franchise application to the IBA in 1980, and were wisely asked to go into further detail. The lack of detail, initially, does lead to question whether or not, despite their own plans to build the new studios at Maidstone, which TVS took on, Southern would've had a specific news service for the east of the region.

I believe ITB was going to make it a duel region either way since the Bell....... transmitter was switched from London to the new company. Can anyone say if TVS jumped the marked?

Southern had been producing dual new services for many years - albeit for two days a week with the full magazine programme at 6pm, but dual new bulletins throughout the working week. Even when 'Day by Day' came from Southampton for both regions the Eastern region had an opt out for a local news bulletins during DxD. If it had retained it's franchise it would have produced a full dual news service 7 days week.

Southern hardly treated it as a 'cash cow', I have their annual report for 1977 in front of me. Turnover of £23.2m leaving an operating profit of £2.4m. That's a shade over 10% and nothing excessive at all.

TVS had big ambitions, including a separate transmission/presentation area for each half of the region, and that's how it started off, but soon to reduce to a single service from Southampton. If anything TVS treated the franchise as a cash cow to fund their ambitions, and we all know how that finished. In my opinion Southern knew it's audience very well, and despite the cynics served it well. But it is just my opinion.

I think the fact that the IBA asked Southern for a more detailed plan implies the intention was for Southern to be part of a shotgun marriage with TVS. They were willing for them to show a little more ambition. In the end it was like squeezing blood out of the proverbial so they took a gamble and gave the whole licence to TVS.

I think Southern knew its area well in the 70s, but TVS was more appropriate for the dramatic way in which the South/South East transformed in the 80s.

Incidentally, I was looking again at Independent Television In Britain the other day and in it the ITC suggests that the only bidder who would have got through on "exceptional circumstances" in 1991 regardless of their bid would have been Meridian, because they were offering to launch a third sub-region with a fully split regional news magazine, which none of the other bidders had offered. In the end, they didn't need to invoke it because of course they won it anyway because of TVS' unrealistic business plan, but it seems to be the case that even if TVS had bid something more realistic, they wouldn't have won anyway because Meridian's offer was exceptional.

Presumably this would also have meant anyone bidding against Central would have had to commit to the three full sub-regions as well, or Central would have got through on exceptional circumstances.

Would the iba still demand dc Thomson sell its shares if a shot gun marriage happened?