WH
Carlton owned Zenith which produced Morse for Central.
I don't think it's a case of indies being rubbish because they're not ITV companies - after all, many of the personnel that formed the indies came from ITV. However, due to Carlton/Meridian needing a lot of volume, it perhaps put pressure on some indies as they were still finding their feet.
Whataday
Founding member
Central were winning awards during that period aswell, so just because you ask someone to make your programmes didn't mean it was of poor standing. Didn't a few indies end up having ITV companies having shares in them.
Carlton owned Zenith which produced Morse for Central.
I don't think it's a case of indies being rubbish because they're not ITV companies - after all, many of the personnel that formed the indies came from ITV. However, due to Carlton/Meridian needing a lot of volume, it perhaps put pressure on some indies as they were still finding their feet.
RI
Not quite. Changes in technology would have opened up new avenues for indies which would have provided competition to established ITV companies. If ITV companies were unable to produce competitive programmes in-house then they would go and commission programmes from indies even if they were not legally required to do so.
Using the term old boy's club is a bit unjustified considering that three ITV companies only came on air after 1980 - and all lost in 1991.
Riaz, I really feel you don't understand the purpose of the Act. They didn't want to put a bomb up the backsides of the smaller ITV companies - they wanted to open the industry up to a free market, not pander to the old boy's club.
Not quite. Changes in technology would have opened up new avenues for indies which would have provided competition to established ITV companies. If ITV companies were unable to produce competitive programmes in-house then they would go and commission programmes from indies even if they were not legally required to do so.
Using the term old boy's club is a bit unjustified considering that three ITV companies only came on air after 1980 - and all lost in 1991.
IS
Though what about Disney Channel, surely they owned more than 25% of that?
Conveniently enough Disney owned 25% of GMTV, which is the maximum amount it could hold in order to be considered independent. 
Though what about Disney Channel, surely they owned more than 25% of that?
NL
I know this is off topic but Transdiffusion have put this beauty up:
https://www.transdiffusion.org/2017/02/14/how-to-win-an-iba-franchise
https://www.transdiffusion.org/2017/02/14/how-to-win-an-iba-franchise
:-(
A former member
I do like this for HTV area:
Don't repeatedly tell public meetings that the IBA itself is useless for appointing said crap incumbent, since the IBA itself goes to those public meetings, what with having organised them and everything
Quote:
Don't repeatedly tell public meetings that the IBA itself is useless for appointing said crap incumbent, since the IBA itself goes to those public meetings, what with having organised them and everything
WH
You've bent the argument there somewhat - we were talking about changes to commissioning rules, not about who won/lost their franchises.
Whataday
Founding member
Using the term old boy's club is a bit unjustified considering that three ITV companies only came on air after 1980 - and all lost in 1991.
You've bent the argument there somewhat - we were talking about changes to commissioning rules, not about who won/lost their franchises.
Last edited by Whataday on 14 February 2017 11:29pm
RI
I was thinking more along the lines of something other than an existing ITV company, like an investment bank. Otherwise TVS could have merged with LWT which it had a friendly relationship with who wanted to become more of a publisher broadcaster than a producer.
MTM turned out to be a toxic financial asset and IMO was responsible for TVS losing in 1991 rather than the sky high bid. What would have been the biggest liability after 1993, MTM or the £59.8m a year for its licence?
It would have been one of the big 4 - Granada, Central, LWT, Thames/Carlton (whoever won). Though TVam was cash rich at the time, if that had survived then who knows? Operationally it would be a better fit with one of the London stations.
I was thinking more along the lines of something other than an existing ITV company, like an investment bank. Otherwise TVS could have merged with LWT which it had a friendly relationship with who wanted to become more of a publisher broadcaster than a producer.
Quote:
Remember that TVS had a big liability on its books that Meridian or Yorkshire didn't. It's American expansion really didn't work out for them
MTM turned out to be a toxic financial asset and IMO was responsible for TVS losing in 1991 rather than the sky high bid. What would have been the biggest liability after 1993, MTM or the £59.8m a year for its licence?
:-(
A former member
It would have been £59.8. Ecomany pick up in the USA so there might have started making money again or been able to sell it off for a nice price. Thames did the same thing buying a US company, it nearly cost them dear.