Networked ITV - 1990s and before...

On a slightly different tact, I'd like to ask a few questions about the franchise handovers on that fatefull night of December 31st 1992.

For a start, looking at the youtube clips, it appears that TVS never took the ITN bulletin just before midnight, unlike Thames & TSW. Now, as far as I'm aware, ITN bulletins have always been mandatory and cannot be not shown or timeshifted. I guess the most obvious answer to this would be that TVS had lost their franchise, so had nothing to lose, but surely they risked a fine doing this, did they not? Or, did they somehow get permission from the ITC and/or ITN to not show it?

Also, on Thames' handover to Carlton, you can see on the stroke of midnight where the screen goes all squally for a second or so. I understand that this is due to lack of frame synch due to the switch being made from linking the transmitters from Thames to Carlton; I assume more precisely from Teddington to the South Bank.

On TVS's handoever to Meridian, there is no awkward moment on the stroke of midnight, though some sound difficulties during the few preceding seconds, which would've still been TVS's franchise period. I guess this is because Meridian were also coming from the Northam Studios, so not transmitters needed switching?

On a slightly different tact, I'd like to ask a few questions about the franchise handovers on that fatefull night of December 31st 1992.

For a start, looking at the youtube clips, it appears that TVS never took the ITN bulletin just before midnight, unlike Thames & TSW. Now, as far as I'm aware, ITN bulletins have always been mandatory and cannot be not shown or timeshifted. I guess the most obvious answer to this would be that TVS had lost their franchise, so had nothing to lose, but surely they risked a fine doing this, did they not? Or, did they somehow get permission from the ITC and/or ITN to not show it?

Also, on Thames' handover to Carlton, you can see on the stroke of midnight where the screen goes all squally for a second or so. I understand that this is due to lack of frame synch due to the switch being made from linking the transmitters from Thames to Carlton; I assume more precisely from Teddington to the South Bank. On TVS's handoever to Meridian, there is no awkward moment on the stroke of midnight, though some sound difficulties during the few preceding seconds, which would've still been TVS's franchise period. I guess this is because Meridian were also coming from the Northam Studios, so not transmitters needed switching?

Finally, which company was filming the Big Ben chime sequence that all the ITV companies seemed to show, including TVS?

It would have been the IBA who would have been responsible for the fine (they had regulatory power for the duration of TVS' franchise). The IBA too were being wound down, lets not forget.

On a slightly different tact, I'd like to ask a few questions about the franchise handovers on that fatefull night of December 31st 1992.

For a start, looking at the youtube clips, it appears that TVS never took the ITN bulletin just before midnight, unlike Thames & TSW. Now, as far as I'm aware, ITN bulletins have always been mandatory and cannot be not shown or timeshifted. I guess the most obvious answer to this would be that TVS had lost their franchise, so had nothing to lose, but surely they risked a fine doing this, did they not? Or, did they somehow get permission from the ITC and/or ITN to not show it?

Also, on Thames' handover to Carlton, you can see on the stroke of midnight where the screen goes all squally for a second or so. I understand that this is due to lack of frame synch due to the switch being made from linking the transmitters from Thames to Carlton; I assume more precisely from Teddington to the South Bank. On TVS's handoever to Meridian, there is no awkward moment on the stroke of midnight, though some sound difficulties during the few preceding seconds, which would've still been TVS's franchise period. I guess this is because Meridian were also coming from the Northam Studios, so not transmitters needed switching?

Finally, which company was filming the Big Ben chime sequence that all the ITV companies seemed to show, including TVS?

Doesn't answer your questions (others have) but Granada took over the networking requirements at around 9pm that night from Thames to faciliate the handover - whatever film/drama there was a 9, followed by the news and the Thames highlight show were all handled by Quay St. Carlton's first networked programme was then the following morning.

For a start, looking at the youtube clips, it appears that TVS never took the ITN bulletin just before midnight, unlike Thames & TSW. Now, as far as I'm aware, ITN bulletins have always been mandatory and cannot be not shown or timeshifted. I guess the most obvious answer to this would be that TVS had lost their franchise, so had nothing to lose, but surely they risked a fine doing this, did they not? Or, did they somehow get permission from the ITC and/or ITN to not show it?

Also, I'm sure the overnight headlines bulletins were timeshifted in some regions, to fit in with their night-time schedule.

Doesn't answer your questions (others have) but Granada took over the networking requirements at around 9pm that night from Thames to faciliate the handover - whatever film/drama there was a 9, followed by the news and the Thames highlight show were all handled by Quay St. Carlton's first networked programme was then the following morning.

Picking up on the point about ITN, I'm not sure if it was mandatory to show 'headline' bulletins, although obviously it was with the flagship One/5.45/Ten etc.

ITN used to produce a weekday afternoon headlines bulletin in the 80s and 90s (shown around 3.25pm) but not all regions took this - many showing a local news round-up instead. By the mid-90s it seemed most or all regions were scheduling this ITN bulletin.

Also, I'm sure the overnight headlines bulletins were timeshifted in some regions, to fit in with their night-time schedule.