The impending 70th anniversary of commercial television is being marked by ITV’s regional news programmes.
The irony seems to be lost.
To the TV historian, the fact the occasion is being marked in this way highlights how modern ITV has little in common with the old regional federation.
Of course, it is absolutely right that the 70th anniversary of Independent Television should be marked. There is much to celebrate
It is just about possible to argue that ITV plc goes back to 1955.
By a tortuous route, the heritage of ATV is now the property of ITV plc.
For many years Central was cut off from its original parent after ACC (which owned ATV) sold its stake in the company, depriving it of the vast majority of material made before 1982.
However the original London weekday company Associated Rediffusion and its child Thames have long gone.
Granada TV – the oldest company directly represented in ITV plc – started in 1956.
More importantly, It seems bizarre for regional programmes to be marking this anniversary – surely this anniversary should only be properly marked in network output?
ITV Cymru Wales had an interesting item looking back to the original company for Wales and the West TWW.
It went on the air in 1958 while much of the rest of Wales had to wait until 1962 and the launch of the doomed Teledu Cymru. Then came Harlech in 1968 and the start of the direct lineage which leads to modern ITV.
Other parts of Wales though got ITV in 1956 when the Midlands and Lancashire transmitters opened. This was not considered overspill reception at the time.
Similar points could be made in many other regions.
When the original local franchisee went on the air it was a big deal – not merely the extension of an existing broadcaster.
None of this is a criticism of the regional news items themselves, some of which have been excellent.
It just seems strange to intertwine what were once proud, distinct regions with their own history and heritage with the big national anniversary in this way.
It will all look strange should local anniversaries merit attention too.
Will UTV be caught up in the current 70th birthday nostalgia? It’ll be odd if this happens given how often viewers have been reminded over the years of its opening night on 31st October 1959.
Then again. so much water has passed under the bridge since ITV plc came into being in 2004.
This week ITV News London included a well-made report on the demolition of LWT’s iconic south bank studios.
I will avoid, however, referring to them as the London Television Centre for obvious reasons to all of us of a certain age. As far as I am concerned there was only one Television Centre in London. LWT’s home was the South Bank.
What reminds us of the passage of the time is that the reporter, rightly, explained just what London Weekend Television was.
He had to. Why would anybody below 30 know about the way ITV in London used to work? And many more would simply have forgotten.
But back to the 70th birthday bash.
Many of the regional pieces have told the local story well, underlying just why marking the occasion in regional news programmes is confusing.
If ITV wants to celebrate its heritage, please emphasise that the story is about entirely separate and proud companies. Some of them, but not all, have their legacies in the broadcaster of today.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: presenter Ruth Dodsworth linking into an ITV 70 feature. COPYRIGHT: ITV plc.