It must be mentioned that Meridian was going to be a "publisher broadcaster", in that it was getting all its programmes that it commissioned made by external production companies. Ironically, one of these was Topical Television, who, I believe, were founded by some TVS staff. Quite what the extent of the actual job losses was, is unclear as a result of TVS losing to Meridian.
The Media Merchants and The Foundation can also be added to the list of TVS 'offspring'.
Yes, and Blue Heaven Productions, which was the old drama department which span off to keep making The Ruth Rendell Mysteries. Quite a lot of former TVS staff, and programmes, carried on after it closed one way or the other. Companies like The Foundation are keeping its legacy going even now - when Ministry of Mayhem started in 2004, a Foundation production of course, it looked and felt very much like a TVS series, with all the same people involved. In fact it reminded me almost entirely of What's Up Doc (I know that was an STV production, but at the start its entire production team more or less came from TVS).
Redmond *did* outbid Granada, but despite the backing of one of the country's largest independents, as well as two ITV licence holders (Yorkshire and Tyne Tees), it failed on programme quality. Much of the blame for this must have been Redmond's frankly silly promises regional content - it was all spread too thinly.
According to one book - either Under The Hammer or Independent Television In Britain - it says the main reason the ITC didn't fancy it was because it was too reliant on Mersey TV which, although as you say was a successful company, only really had one major series running and so they found it unrealistic to suggest they could make the range of programmes they were planning. I know Under The Hammer said that Redmond was convinced he was going to get it, because they outbid Granada by miles, but when the fax arrived, he just looked at it, said "didn't get it", then buggered off to sit in his office.
All I know about Mersey Vision is that, according to Under The Hammer, their bid spent so much time slagging off the existing ITV network and its programming, people were wondering why on earth they wanted to be part of it in the first place.
Weren't the plans for one of the bids for it to come from Elstree? Though of course that's before they had to sell it off.
I think ATV tried to convince the IBA that they should still be allowed to keep Elstree, especially what with Channel 4 coming up because they'd need more studio space. But the IBA weren't convinced.
