Networked ITV - 1990s and before...

This excerpt from our 'reliable' friend Wikipedia (the LNN article) mentions 'nominated contractor' being responsible for the network feed, although the description below refers more to recent years, ie.post-1993. Although Thames/LWT previously had the responsibility for the network on behalf of the IBA, the circuits weren't routed via them by default.

"Aside from merging the production of news and sports programming for the region into the new venture, LWT and Carlton took the view that instead of having two transmission centres in different buildings, neither on air at the same time as the other, it would make financial sense for the transmission departments to be merged as part of the new company. To that end, from the start in 1993, LNN took over responsibility for the transmission of Carlton and LWT to the viewer at home.

The companies stopped short of handing over full control of presentation and scheduling, however, and planning and scheduling staff, along with the continuity announcers (the "voices" of the stations), were retained separately by Carlton and LWT. This meant that, uniquely for the time, the transmission controllers (later "network directors" - a change only in name) and the continuity announcers worked for different companies and answered to different management.

Carlton and LWT effectively shared the position of what was known as "nominated contractor" in the ITV network. The responsibilities of this ranged from contingency planning and coordinating the network's response to, for example, major breaking news to the provision of the "Network Feed", this being the "clean" feed of programmes to all the other contractors in the ITV Network. To this end, LNN operated two transmission feeds: one to the London transmitter at Crystal Palace and its dependent relays, and another to the other ITV control rooms around the country. The latter was provided without announcements, commercials or interstitial material (except during times of a "presented feed", such as during the shared overnight service). The network feed was known as "KRS-17/67" - referring to the circuits (17 the original analogue and 67 the latterday digital) allocated to it by BT Broadcast between the South Bank and the BT Tower (The London Television Centre stands on a stretch of the South Bank known as the "King's Reach", and "KRS" an acronym for "King's Reach Studios*").

The LNN transmission department has latterly been absorbed into the merged ITV plc as the Southern Transmission Centre, the management and operation of which has been outsourced to Technicolor Network Services. As a result, playout has now left LWT's London Television Centre and has been relocated to Technicolor Network Services' hi-tech, HD capable broadcast centre in Chiswick."

*debatably "Kings Reach South"

Indeed, the modern version of colour bars occasionally seen on screen sometimes bears the legend 'KRS'.

At this point in history, STV did play out TTHR in the afternoons but didn't transmit it locally at that time.

Does anyone know anything about the history of Border's playout? I read somewhere that it was being handled by Granada by the mid 90s (and therefore Leeds from 1998), but they seemed to retain their own announcers pretty late - 2000/2001 going by some of the clips on You Tube, which would tie in with Granada taking full control.

I'm not aware of the exact dates involved, but I believe Granada (ie. Leeds) handled Border weekend continuity for a few years whilst weekday continuity was still played out from Carlisle, and it was quite late in the day (compared to the other northern regions) when full playout control went over to Leeds.

Also, in around 1994, Border skipped episodes of Sons and Daughters, and other serials, to catch up with Granada and screen these via their feed - although this was well before Border became part of GMG.

[quote="Si-Co" pid="676347"]

I dare say it was 1993 and Border could have skipped up to 60 episode, as it 1994 when it ended, in that area.

at least it was never as bad as TT and Yorkshire..

Border had close links with Granada even earlier than that, even before 1993 their schedules were usually identical, and the variations panel in the Radio Times would just say "as Granada". They used to show the likes of Granada Soccer Night and then a bit later, when Granada bought LWT and they'd show programmes in those two regions, like Tarbuck Late, Border would show them as well. And I remember Live Challenge 99, some charity drive, was sold as a Granada and Border co-production.

I think Border could split their transmitters for Soccer Night so that the STV football programme could go out on the northern transmitter... how did this work?

Throughout most of the 1970s Border screened Granada's football highlights programme. For a season or two they took Tyne Tees' highlights instead...loads of Hartlepool and the like...and they also, at times, screened LWT's Big Match programme. Scotsport was screened once a month or so, starting at some point in the 80s, after years of campaigning by many viewers in Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. From sometime in the 90s, IIRC, the Border Scotland service was introduced from both Caldbeck and Selkirk main transmitters. ITV Border was then broadcast on two UHF channels from Caldbeck with the "Scotland" service feeding the relays in the South-West of Scotland. Selkirk radiated only Border Scotland. It allowed opt out segments during Lookaround, separate local news bulletins at certain points during the day, and for other Scottish-interest programming to be screened, including Scotsport, Scottish clubs in Champions League action, Scottish rugby, politics programmes and the like. I assume the switching and separate feeds to the respective transmitters was handled at Leeds. Ironically, since the merger of news operations with Tyne-Tees, the Border Scotland service is no more, leaving around a quarter of a million Scots effectively exiles in their own country. I gather OFCOM intend remedying that in 2013 or 2014, with the South of Scotland joined to the rest of the country. Why we have to wait so long when the Isle of Man got to switch to Granada overnight, I don't know. Following DSO, Caldbeck radiates two ITV muxes, now both identical in content, one of which was, and will be, the Scottish service.

So I take it STV will finally get south of Scotland, after 50 years in the waiting!

I have to be honest Borders was a disgrace to the Scottish public, and even some time there would place Scotsport at 2.30am!

Precisely

Is there actually any evidence the south of Scotland is going to be handed to STV?

It's easier in terms of Granada/Border because both franchises are owned by the same company - presumably ITV PLC would have something to say if part of its area was to be handed over.

OFCOM Could place demand about how to better serve the area, which would cost ITV money........