BC
BlackCat
Founding member
Well, you've changed it now, so never mind!
I have to say that I had an obviously-ill-informed opinion before starting this thread that the regional names were rarely used in reality, so I was surprised to see the number of votes for "Regional Name" shoot up above the rest. I suppose my reasoning lies in the fact that I live in a region where there have been three different providers in the last three decades, which has probably led to the older folk here just using "ITV", and this in turn has rubbed off onto the younger folk who have probably forgotten about Meridian already.
I have to say that I had an obviously-ill-informed opinion before starting this thread that the regional names were rarely used in reality, so I was surprised to see the number of votes for "Regional Name" shoot up above the rest. I suppose my reasoning lies in the fact that I live in a region where there have been three different providers in the last three decades, which has probably led to the older folk here just using "ITV", and this in turn has rubbed off onto the younger folk who have probably forgotten about Meridian already.
JE
Yes ive been meaning to change it for a while, since I came back from Granada land!
Yes the South have certainly had more ITV companies than most, the South West and London too.
Jez
Founding member
BlackCat posted:
Well, you've changed it now, so never mind!
I have to say that I had an obviously-ill-informed opinion before starting this thread that the regional names were rarely used in reality, so I was surprised to see the number of votes for "Regional Name" shoot up above the rest. I suppose my reasoning lies in the fact that I live in a region where there have been three different providers in the last three decades, which has probably led to the older folk here just using "ITV", and this in turn has rubbed off onto the younger folk who have probably forgotten about Meridian already.
I have to say that I had an obviously-ill-informed opinion before starting this thread that the regional names were rarely used in reality, so I was surprised to see the number of votes for "Regional Name" shoot up above the rest. I suppose my reasoning lies in the fact that I live in a region where there have been three different providers in the last three decades, which has probably led to the older folk here just using "ITV", and this in turn has rubbed off onto the younger folk who have probably forgotten about Meridian already.
Yes ive been meaning to change it for a while, since I came back from Granada land!
Yes the South have certainly had more ITV companies than most, the South West and London too.
BC
BlackCat
Founding member
My mother has now further surprised me by referring to something that was on "Southern News". Also, back when ITV3 first launched, she thought that "ITV3" was the new name for ITV1 
My father is also guilty of referring to all programmes on the non-1-to-5 digital channels as being on "Sky", even though everything we watch is always through Sky anyway, including channels 1-5.
Andrew posted:
And everything that isn't on channel 1 to 5 is on Sky!
'Did you see Little Britain last night?'
'what channel was it on?'
'it was on sky'
'Did you see Little Britain last night?'
'what channel was it on?'
'it was on sky'
Mark Smith posted:
I've noticed that! Many people have their Sky digibox tuned to channel 6 on their analogue TV so when they watch through that they always refer to it as "Sky", rather than the name of the channel the digibox itself is tuned to. These people usually watch anything on the terrestrial channels through analogue instead of changing the channel on the digibox (my nan always does this, but TBH I don't even know why she has Sky because she rarely seems to watch it, usually has the TV on analogue BBC1 or ITV1).
My father is also guilty of referring to all programmes on the non-1-to-5 digital channels as being on "Sky", even though everything we watch is always through Sky anyway, including channels 1-5.
SE
I don't mean to be rude, but your mother doesn't sound like she's the brightest button in the box. Are you sure you're not doing her an injustice ?
BTW, Channel 5 will always be that, none of this "five" nonsense.
Square Eyes
Founding member
BlackCat posted:
My mother has now further surprised me by referring to something that was on "Southern News". Also, back when ITV3 first launched, she thought that "ITV3" was the new name for ITV1
I don't mean to be rude, but your mother doesn't sound like she's the brightest button in the box. Are you sure you're not doing her an injustice ?
BTW, Channel 5 will always be that, none of this "five" nonsense.
BC
I don't mean to be rude, but your mother doesn't sound like she's the brightest button in the box. Are you sure you're not doing her an injustice ?
BTW, Channel 5 will always be that, none of this "five" nonsense.
I am indeed doing her an injustice, she's wonderful really. I'm just trying to demonstrate that people will often call things what they like, regardless of the brands that are put before them.
I agree with you about "five" - it's pointless, simply because people will, by nature, refuse to use a number as a noun in everyday speech.
BlackCat
Founding member
Square Eyes posted:
BlackCat posted:
My mother has now further surprised me by referring to something that was on "Southern News". Also, back when ITV3 first launched, she thought that "ITV3" was the new name for ITV1
I don't mean to be rude, but your mother doesn't sound like she's the brightest button in the box. Are you sure you're not doing her an injustice ?
BTW, Channel 5 will always be that, none of this "five" nonsense.
I am indeed doing her an injustice, she's wonderful really. I'm just trying to demonstrate that people will often call things what they like, regardless of the brands that are put before them.
I agree with you about "five" - it's pointless, simply because people will, by nature, refuse to use a number as a noun in everyday speech.
CW
cwathen
Founding member
Generally, most people I know call it 'ITV' or 'channel 3', although when describing regional news items it's very common to hear older people talking about seeing such-and-such 'on Westward news'.
My Dad also peristantly refers to things he's seen 'on TV AM'.
Rather curiously though, when TSW was going it was pretty much always referred to as such.
Over the last year or so however, I frequently see people getting confused by listings guides; down here, most guides have listings for both HTV West with Westcountry printed underneath in a smaller box. Now these have been replaced with listings for 'ITV1 West' and the very similar 'ITV1 West Country' I've frequently seen people looking at HTV listings thinking they are Westcountry listings because the names are so similar. That said, there are still a fair few listings sources around who print 'Carlton' as a station name (for some reason, the Plymouth Evening Herald until quite recently had 'ITV1' on listings for monday-saturday, but then 'Carlton' on listings for sunday. Very odd!)
My Dad also peristantly refers to things he's seen 'on TV AM'.
Rather curiously though, when TSW was going it was pretty much always referred to as such.
Over the last year or so however, I frequently see people getting confused by listings guides; down here, most guides have listings for both HTV West with Westcountry printed underneath in a smaller box. Now these have been replaced with listings for 'ITV1 West' and the very similar 'ITV1 West Country' I've frequently seen people looking at HTV listings thinking they are Westcountry listings because the names are so similar. That said, there are still a fair few listings sources around who print 'Carlton' as a station name (for some reason, the Plymouth Evening Herald until quite recently had 'ITV1' on listings for monday-saturday, but then 'Carlton' on listings for sunday. Very odd!)
PC
Tends to be Channel 3 in this house, as we've been multi-channel since the primitive pre-Sky days of cable. If anything, we're more likely to use STV rather than Scottish.
I still know someone who insists on calling ITV2 S2, the name it originally had up here when it was an SMG-owned digital channel.
I still know someone who insists on calling ITV2 S2, the name it originally had up here when it was an SMG-owned digital channel.
SC
Personally, and I am rather ashamed by this, I very rarely refer to the ITV channel as Tyne Tees now. When I was younger (in the 80s and 90s) it was almost exclusively referred to as Tyne Tees by my family. Even the TV Times was known as the 'Tyne Tees Viewer' (even after it began listing all channels).
Nowadays though, things are different. Because my parents now have cable TV, the channels tend to be referred to as 101,103,128 etc. With so many channels available, I guess they find it easier to remember that Blockbusters in on 152 at 8pm; Corrie is on 103 at 7.30, etc. If I say 'Put UK Gold on' - they look at me as if I'm speaking a foreign language! 'Sorry, I mean 124' I'll say. ITV/Tyne Tees is simialrly referred to as 103 if they're watching through cable, or channel 3 (with a small 'c', if you get my drift) if they're watching through analogue. Ditto (usually) for the other FTA/analogue channels. With so many channels to choose from, I would guess that older people find it easier to remember where to find their favourite shows, rather than the name of the network showing them.
I work with teenagers and early 20-somethings and they very rarely mention Tyne Tees or even ITV/ITV1 - it's always 'channel 3' or merely '3', because that's the button they press to watch the channel.
So is it fair to conclude that (with the exception of those with a vested interest, and a desire to retain the old regional names), it is mainly the older generation - in particular those with only the five analogue channels - that are most likely to be using the regional station names?
EDIT: I put the question to a friend today, who like me is in her early 30s. I asked her what she called the channel, and she said without hesitation 'ITV'. I asked if she ever called it Tyne Tees, and her reply was 'No, that's old-fashioned. Besides, it's not called that anymore is it?'
Well, as far as on-screen identity goes, no- it's not.
Nowadays though, things are different. Because my parents now have cable TV, the channels tend to be referred to as 101,103,128 etc. With so many channels available, I guess they find it easier to remember that Blockbusters in on 152 at 8pm; Corrie is on 103 at 7.30, etc. If I say 'Put UK Gold on' - they look at me as if I'm speaking a foreign language! 'Sorry, I mean 124' I'll say. ITV/Tyne Tees is simialrly referred to as 103 if they're watching through cable, or channel 3 (with a small 'c', if you get my drift) if they're watching through analogue. Ditto (usually) for the other FTA/analogue channels. With so many channels to choose from, I would guess that older people find it easier to remember where to find their favourite shows, rather than the name of the network showing them.
I work with teenagers and early 20-somethings and they very rarely mention Tyne Tees or even ITV/ITV1 - it's always 'channel 3' or merely '3', because that's the button they press to watch the channel.
So is it fair to conclude that (with the exception of those with a vested interest, and a desire to retain the old regional names), it is mainly the older generation - in particular those with only the five analogue channels - that are most likely to be using the regional station names?
EDIT: I put the question to a friend today, who like me is in her early 30s. I asked her what she called the channel, and she said without hesitation 'ITV'. I asked if she ever called it Tyne Tees, and her reply was 'No, that's old-fashioned. Besides, it's not called that anymore is it?'
Well, as far as on-screen identity goes, no- it's not.