Some may have been surprised to read my argument that ITV should drop the use of legacy brands in the English regions.
It may seem like an odd argument to make for someone who cares about the rich heritage of broadcasting.
Of course, arguments are just that – arguments. Other people can take the opposite view and nobody is right or wrong.
My belief that a rebranding should be considered is rooted in a passionate concern for regional news provision itself.
It is one of ITV’s key legal obligations. High quality regional news on C3 provides competition for the BBC, choice for the public and plurality in a democracy.
With TV ratings declining, it is important to make sure high quality, reputable journalism is available online too.
This is absolutely vital to contain the scourge of fake news and ensure people continue to hear a wide range of views and opinions – not just those they agree with.
So what has any of this got to do with legacy brands?
The clue is in the word legacy. Regional news is too important to treat as a legacy.
Historically English TV regions reflected transmitter coverage areas – not existing political or cultural entities. Where the two combined it was fortuitous.
However when ITV was a commercial monopoly, TV regions helped to forge an additional identity. Which TV region you lived in mattered – even if you did not watch much TV or preferred the BBC.
Franchise changes – for good or ill – also mattered.
None of this is relevant today though.
ITV is one company – the regional licences are held by ITV Broadcasting Ltd not, say, ITV Granada or ITV Meridian.
The EPG only lists ITV 1 and ITV 1 HD.
Many TV guides no longer routinely acknowledge English regions – except on the days ITV’s monthly regional political programmes are shown.
As far as I know, only TV Times, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express still publish blank columns which actively list the regions then say there are no variations. This too is a legacy which could well go in the next revamp. An English viewer has no reason to presume their local ITV 1 schedule will be different to the main one.
With all those factors in mind, it would be fascinating to know just how much brand recognition the English regional names still enjoy.
If you moved to a different part of the country would you immediately know which TV region you were in? I suspect many would not.
With all this in mind, I believe reconsidering brand names to ensure there is an explicit, contemporary connection between the regional news titles and the areas they serve would be a positive move.
It could also make online navigation easier and more relevant.
An old brand name is not a bad thing when it is still relevant. Many of the BBC’s English regional news titles date from the 1960s. But with the exception of Spotlight they all explicitly refer to the broad region they serve, not a bygone corporate name.
Crucially the BBC does not apply those programme brands to its website.
ITV could be accused of treating its regional names with a certain benign neglect – it isn’t building the regional brands but it is not killing them either.
However that is not a fair reflection on the company’s attitude to the regional news services – since 2013 it has improved and maintained them.
Others may legitimately believe heritage names have a powerful resonance and should stay.
My own view is that names should reflect present realities.
But all of this is worthy of discussion.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: various ITV regional news programme titles. COPYRIGHT: ITV plc.