Channel Television acquired by ITV plc

They are an Ofcom licensee by choice, as the Channel Islands are outside the UK. Essentially, Ofcom have no enforceable jurisdiction.

The CI Governments in Jersey & Guernsey decided to use Ofcom to select their franchisee, and to follow their regulations: but they could just as easily change to have broadcasting regulations decided locally if the ITVplc service wasn't seen to meet local needs.

Perhaps this is the reason why the compliance side of the business is based in London: to ensure that it falls geographically under UK law by using a UK-based/listed subsidiary of Channel TV.

Interesting to see that when Channel Television spoke about it on Channel Report, they talk of only ownership changing, and 'very few' changes to the channel itself, keeping the separate identity?

Is there much of a separate identity to keep though? On the few occasions I've seen channel, it seems the only time they use local branding is during local output, the rest of the time it seems to be a simulcast of ITV1 Network, not even a local ad to be seen. Following the takeover ITV could quite easily change the local promos and idents to just ITV1 without many noticing. I expect in the end it'll be a similar operation to ITV1 Wales.

I also expect many of the operations to move to London, for example transmission will probably be moved to the Southern Transmission Centre.

I know others have mentioned that there are spare regional sets around the country after the consolidation exercise: but are these sets still standing?

I know that most of the Westcountry set ended up in skips, apart from one of the seats, which went to replace a coffee stained one in Bristol. Furthermore, they were produced in 3 different sizes (small, medium and large), and while Channel TV seemed to have a reasonable space for their existing set in those caps, they may not be able to squeeze in a 'spare' from Brum or Whiteley.

Channel's studio is massive and the current set only takes up around 1/3 of the space available. It must be one of the (if not the) biggest studio floor spaces available for a regional news programme on the ITV Network.

I'm expecting it to be similar to ITV1 Wales too. When they talk about no identity change, I suspect they mean the 'Regional' News more than anything.

Is Granada's studio not big, I always thought at one point they had a few regional shows coming from the same studio like the late debate etc?

Off topic a bit but, Wonder if Granada will get anything new when they move or just move the set to Salford?

This is hardly a new thing. Tyne Tees's press office were talking about "two entirely separate companies" as the board were walking out the back door.

Unless the CI governments intervene CTV will be past-tense in all but name by the end of next year.

They are using the main studio originally built for network productions aren't they?

2004 again? Just no Charles Allen...


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Granada actually have a smaller studio than most regions, in fact ISTR that Gas Street's E and W post split were bigger!

and Stuart, CEN W (Central West) still had its set standing late last summer, it was without its rear projection projector and 2 50" Plasma TVs, half the parcans had gone and had NO lighting left, 1 camera though. Set was still there mind!

Citation needed please.
If that is correct, would the Balliwicks be in a position to take over regulation of the various BBC and commercial stations on the islands?


The reason they use Channel is because the fines are according to the size of the license, Channel is the smallest licensable area of ITV, therefore gets fined the least

Indeed they are.