ITV Regional Variations in the 70s and 80s

Even in the late nineties and into the beginning of this decade, we still had quite a few regional variations. Regional programmes were still placed in prime time (Tuesdays/Thursdays tradition) and there were things like The Late Debate (Granada) and Central Weekend Live, after the News At Ten. Afternoons often saw Shortland Street on Border and HTV, whilst it had long been dropped by Granada. Granada often showed a repeat of the previous night's Coronation Street whereas HTV would show Minder.

Rregional variations are boring now. Just look in the TV listings these days....

ITV Regional Variations

Granada
no variations

Yorkshire
no variations

HTV as main ITV1 except...
6:00 ITV Wales News
7:30 Token Welsh Interest Show

Central
no variations

etc, etc...

indeed, until the start of 2003 sunday afternoons had still had huge amounts of regional variation, almost every station running a different schedule of regional programmes of varying length shown at different times and various different fillers slotted around them.

I remember one Sunday afternoon, the 1968 film 'Airport' was shown on most regions, but the film started at 2pm in some regions & 205pm in other regions, because the regional news was scheduled earlier in the 2pm regions, but transmitted at 2pm or thereabouts in the 205pm regions. This was after ITV came to Sky, in fact I remember mentioning this on here at the time.

What's funny is that I'm looking at a typical ITV1 London, imagining that I control a Liverpool-based affiliate station and that this is my network supply. I'd be dropping almost everything and probably begrudge giving any money to the network schedule. There's just so much crap. I'd sooner throw a few local shows on in the afternoon or early evening slots (a talk show for Jimmy Corkhill anyone?) and stick an old film on or a classic series than some of that stuff.

I remember both Saturday and Sunday afternoons were regional as was the majority of the weekday afternoon slot. Also overnight was regional. It was only really mornings and peak time that was completely networked.

Regarding Prisoner, HTV finished in April 1996 which was around the average time for regions to complete. Central were miles ahead of everyone else finishing in Dec 1991.

Central for some strange reason did it 3 times a week. I would not say Overnight was regional, as many of the stations took feeds of other companies,

Granada being the main provider

Saturday afternoons were really regional at one point, alot of regions like Granada often had Walt Disney and Warner Bros cartoons to bookend the network slots, or sometimes a quick lifestyle filler. ITV Sport usually had one programme at 1:10pm, and then it was up to the Regions after that, and 99% it was usually an old Film or something very dreary, Airwolf comes to mind.

I think a few Regions had a go at all afternoon Sports programmes at some point, but none really took off. I didn't know this until recently but on ITV2 there used to be a programme called Football First (like Soccer Saturday) that was made by Meridian, but was apparently shown on Meridian, Anglia and HTV, until The Goal Rush kicked in a few years later, even then TGR didn't end up on ITV1 until about 4:30pm.

Was this all after 1985 when World of Sport ended?

All 1990's, I wasn't born until 1987, so I cannot really say about pre-1985.

Well it was very popular on Central apparently. Yorkshire were the first region to start it but were one of the last to complete in 1997.

Even tho some regions were the same overnight it was still no where near networked!

I miss the old days. I wanna get some equipement and overide Granada. Maybe opt out of Corrie and run an old episode of Happy Days or something. I wonder how much the fine would be.

I can't think a single company that ever opt out of corrie!