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PICTURED: UTV ident.

UTV on-air branding suspended

Posted on 1st April 2020 by Andrew Nairn
Last updated on 23rd March 2021 Filed under Opinion

The terrible impact of the coronavirus crisis continues to affect TV badly. A number of significant changes to schedules have been made to help protect staff and core programmes.

Tonight it was announced that UTV would temporarily be carrying ITV branding and continuity. This has yet to take effect.

VIDEO: Paul Clark with a report about operational changes at UTV, in light of the coronavirus crisis. TX DATE/TIME: 1st April 2020, 6.25pm. COPYRIGHT: ITV plc.

Presumably the move helps minimise the number of staff working in Belfast and in ITV’s promotions unit for now. There is no suggestion the move is a “stealth rebrand”.

Other changes made by ITV include reducing the number of episodes of soaps and repeating episodes of daytime quiz shows and Loose Women.

So how quickly might normality return?

Well this will depend on just how long the severe restrictions on everyday life and economic activity remain. Public health experts have spoken of gradually relaxing the restrictions rather than an overnight return to normality

From a TV point of view, the speed at which normality returns will depend on how long the disruption goes on for. For instance, if the soaps were not to be filming again by June they might have to come off air completely – their return would then take a few weeks. On the other hand Loose Women and Lorraine could be back within days.

Pres fans have speculated since 2016 over whether a full rebrand of UTV was inevitable. They could never have imagined that when the change happened – albeit temporarily – it would be during terrible times when their minds would be on much more important issues.

When the name returns, it will be a sign that so many things of much greater importance are returning too.

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PICTURED: UTV ident. COPYRIGHT: ITV plc.

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Tags: ITV, ITV plc, Loose Women, Lorraine, On-Screen Presentation, Paul Clark, UTV

Dates for the Diary

30th January: BBC Reporting Scotland moves to a temporary set. The programme will move back to a refurbished Studio C in the summer.

30th/31st January: BBC One East HD and BBC One East Midlands HD launch on satellite.

6th/7th February: BBC One West Midlands HD, BBC One East Yorkshire/Lincolnshire HD and BBC Alba HD launch on satellite. BBC One/Two Wales SD services close on satellite.

13th/14th February: BBC One West HD, BBC One South West HD, BBC One Channel Islands HD, BBC One London HD and BBC RB1 HD launch on satellite.

20th/21st February: BBC One North East and Cumbria HD, BBC One North West HD, BBC One Yorkshire HD and BBC Parliament HD launch on satellite. BBC One Scotland SD and BBC Scotland SD services close on satellite.

22nd/23rd February: BBC One South East HD launches on satellite.

February 2023: new set for BBC Midlands Today goes live.

13th February 2023: Sky Kids launches.

Q1 2023: BBC Chameleon branding introduced on air for BBC Weather, CBBC and CBeebies.

April 2023: BBC News Channel and BBC World News merge.

November/December 2023: World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23).

Q1 2024: SD versions of BBC channels close on satellite.

2024: BBC Four and CBBC go online-only.

2024: BBC Radio 4 Extra goes online-only.

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