AB
Not necessarily...
The IBA then ITC decided on the franchise areas.. they weren't set in law. After the 1990 Broadcasting Act, the ITC had to decide on the franchise areas to advertise. There was a lot of discussion on whether, for instance, a separate breakfast franchise or some of the smaller regions would still be viable - though, in the end, "the map and the clock" as it was called was untouched, just the franchise holders.
Ofcom recently allowed the merger of the Central South and Meridian West regions without even a public consultation. If ITV ever bought STV, Border could easily disappear in the same way. ("Border was an artificial reason and if you were setting up ITV now you simply wouldn't have it." You can just hear the comment in the press blurb.)
Even without this, it's not impossible that SMG and ITV might come to a business agreement to carve up Border between them. Selkirk and the Scottish relays go to STV - Caldbeck and the English relays to either the Granada or Tyne Tees regions.
Remember that from 2008, there'll be only 30 minutes a week of regional output on ITV in England other than the news. It would be easy to spin the end of Border as good news for viewers... with lots more Scottish programmes and a Scottish channel identity for viewers north of the border. STV would at least claim to be committed to providing local news for the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway - and Ofcom would probably be happy.
Come digital switchover, don't be surprised if the Border region actually disappears... whether or not ITV has bought SMG by then.
The IBA then ITC decided on the franchise areas.. they weren't set in law. After the 1990 Broadcasting Act, the ITC had to decide on the franchise areas to advertise. There was a lot of discussion on whether, for instance, a separate breakfast franchise or some of the smaller regions would still be viable - though, in the end, "the map and the clock" as it was called was untouched, just the franchise holders.
Ofcom recently allowed the merger of the Central South and Meridian West regions without even a public consultation. If ITV ever bought STV, Border could easily disappear in the same way. ("Border was an artificial reason and if you were setting up ITV now you simply wouldn't have it." You can just hear the comment in the press blurb.)
Even without this, it's not impossible that SMG and ITV might come to a business agreement to carve up Border between them. Selkirk and the Scottish relays go to STV - Caldbeck and the English relays to either the Granada or Tyne Tees regions.
Remember that from 2008, there'll be only 30 minutes a week of regional output on ITV in England other than the news. It would be easy to spin the end of Border as good news for viewers... with lots more Scottish programmes and a Scottish channel identity for viewers north of the border. STV would at least claim to be committed to providing local news for the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway - and Ofcom would probably be happy.
Come digital switchover, don't be surprised if the Border region actually disappears... whether or not ITV has bought SMG by then.
