UTV sell TV business to ITV

Coming from a sporting perspective in Northern Ireland UTV has been a disaster for years. UTV was the first to show the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix motorbike races (not easy events to cover even as highlights due to amount of cameras and distances covered) as a proper highlights programme for an hour to an hour and half from about 1992 if memory served me right. I remember LIVE coverage of Gaelic Games and Country Antrim Shield Football.

Now if you want local coverage of those it's only the BBC that provide the above plus some more such as Pro12 Rugby, highlights of local golf at Portrush and Newcastle, it seems no interested from UTV at ever doing LIVE or even highlights of sport ever again unless itv network get the cash out eg Frampton boxing.

So from my point of view UTV hasn't being doing it's 'local' thing in years.

From a television perspective, UTV is basically ITV with local idents/trails and a bit of local news - it's main goal is to make as much money as it can from relaying ITV's network schedule to Northern Ireland. Ofcom couldn't have played UTV a better tune by cutting the regional programming hours quota. I recall a quote from an industry commentator back in the early-1990s: "UTV is the television station that makes money out of not making programmes."

Even where local news/current affairs is concerned, the current offering is a shadow of what it used to be. They offer nothing much beyond press association copy. Then again, the same could probably be said of ITV regional news in general.

From a presentation perspective, their idents/trail graphics/news titles are just embarrassingly poor.

I do hope that ITV at least retains the existing news operation. Even in the post-Troubles environment, there is a lack of investment there. Hopefully, ITV will inject some cash and create a unit that has the resources to properly compete with the BBC.

Apart from news, there's nothing else to be saved really. UTV management has run the television division as a money grabbing opportunity for so long, with little or no interest in serving viewers. Where there has been any opportunity to cut back on producing local programmes, they have jumped at the chance.

I will certainly shed no tears at the disappearance of the UTV brand on Channel 3. Adios UTV - roll on the arrival of ITV.

Hit the nail right on the head, MMcG198.

It's sad to see another brand dissapear but to be honest, it makes sense. ITV does have a fairly decent presentation package at the moment, which couldn't have been said ten years ago.

Does anyone else agree it's a matter of time until STV follows, and a single ITV truly becomes a reality?

No.

Reason being, as Ive said STV has a much higher level of opt outs than required, and its news sevice is well above what is also required. Holyrood would stuck making noise over any such deals etc. ITV is also forced by Ofcom to make representing border, and demerge TT and border news.

It took a while, but I felt UTV selling up to ITV would happen eventually. The writing for me has been on the wall since the late 1990s, and since then, I've had a love-hate relationship with my native region, and right now, I'd hope the chances of UTV surviving in its own right, along the lines of owned-and-operated basis, are greater than if they'd been taken over by Granada or Carlton 15-odd years ago.

...but given what's happened with ITV Wales, and to a lesser extent, Channel Television, I foresee the ITV name coming into play once the deal is signed and the dust has barely settled. Whether's it dual-branding for a limited period, or instantaneous "ethnic cleansing", I would hope Ofcom and BAI's views are publicly expressed and considered by the new owners - but probably not.

Presentation will no doubt be standardised: this will probably see the end of the current continuity regime, probably including in-vision links. Julian will probably be retired off (after all, he's reaching the age for it); sadly, perhaps Gillian too will be sacrificed. If by some twist of fate, transmission facilities are retained in Belfast, we may get no more than two new announcers, younger in voice and delivery, probably pre-recorded in the daytime, and live in the evening.

UTV Live will concede to ITV News Northern Ireland. I'd imagine Paul Clark will be retained for a few years (a la Bob Warman/Fred Dinenage, a nod to the past), but I imagine Rose Neill will lose out to Sarah Clarke as co-host. Marc Mallett may retain his dual role as local/national staff, perhaps with more emphasis on network duties.

Given how the last clearout of the news team was relatively recent, the rest of the news/sport talent will most likely be retained. This could be the time Frank Mitchell stops watching the weather. And to be honest, I was thinking the current UTV Live studio set was due for an update some time soon...

I'd also imagine the winding down of Havelock House and new, smaller facilities found elsewhere in Belfast. One studio for the local news, and no need for a Studio 2 or Studio 3. The Derry bureau will probably be closed too.

I imagine Ofcom will retain the greater commitment to local programming, like the ongoing situation in Wales, so there'll still be a presence for some series. Probably shared with ITV Ireland. UTV Live Tonight may face the axe, alongside The Issue; given how well it still rates, Lesser Spotted Ulster will probably continue as long as Joe Mahon is able to.

I would say Stormont should take a united initiative in ensuring as much of UTV is retained under new ownership, but that'll never happen

I'm actually rather happy to read this. UTV for years has been piss-poor and standards have fallen. It's about time they gave up trying to cling on to their own little brand when it was run so badly and in such low quality. I can't wait to see how it all pans out. I hope they do change the name to ITV as well. I imagine they will possibly try to sort out rights and perhaps make UTV Ireland become ITV also and there is one channel for the whole island.

I believe Channel 4 also now call their NI variant NI now rather than Ulster, as to call it Ulster is geographically incorrect and can cause problems amongst certain sections of the community.

To those people thinking STV will be next to be eaten up by the ITV plc monster, you have to remember ITV sold their shares in the Scottish based Broadcaster.

However even if it were to happen I don't think the name would be 'ITV Scotland' as there are two C3/ITV franchises (three if you count Border Scotland) and if they owned all C3 franchises I feel there is a chance ITV would cut their 6pm Regional News programming to 20 minutes if approved by Ofcom*. Surely 20 minutes wouldn't be enough to cover the whole of Scotland, so how about Grampian, Border and the new Central Scotland bulletins remain?

* A move that would be welcomed by me as long as a weekly 20 minute sub-Regional Political slot is part of the bargain instead of the current monthly 1 hour Pan-Regional nonsense.

As others have said surely an ITV Northern Ireland would have to continue to make distinct programming like they already do for Wales and Northern Ireland so not much (if any) change there...

Why do you have to post that theory in every ITV thread? No point in worrying about whether 20 minutes would be enough to cover the news in the whole of Scotland when A - this is a thread about NI, and B - there is nothing to indicate that is on anyones agenda.

To be fair its already 20mins worth of news on three different bulletins, the other 10mins belong to weather and sports.

Im confused as to why you think we would be happily replacing 4 times a week 30min Political show for weekly 20 minute sub-Regional Political slot? Also doesn't NI have a proper 30mins slots?

There is absolutely no link to this story and STV. It isn't as if ITV are seeking to buy everyone up, UTV have decided to sell, and 10/15/20 years later than this sort of thing was common place.

Regarding changing UTV to ITV, it could be done very gradually.

Firstly mentions of "UTV - ITV in Northern Ireland" in continuity announcements
Then ITV Northern Ireland idents, then just ITV.
At some point the announcers like Julian will retire, replaced by newer voices that wouldn't be as missed when continuity moves to London.

Whats going to happen to UTV Live Tonight?