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The ITV television network of the United Kingdom is divided into a number of geographical regions.

Since 2002, all regions share the same programming except for regional news, weather, advertising and some local political content. Before then, the regions were independent stations, each with its own schedule and branding.

Current regions

[edit]
Map of the sub-regions, coded to the list below

The table below lists the current 14 regions and 23 sub-regions for ITV and its two associated channels, the timeshifted ITV +1 and the high-definition ITV HD.[1][2][3]

While the main SD channels (ITV1, UTV, and STV) on the Freeview platform provide a service for all 23 sub-regions, some sub-regional services are not available on some of the other channels and platforms, and another service is substituted instead, as indicated in the table.

Most Freeview transmitter areas overlap to some extent, so ITV regional services can often be received beyond the service areas indicated. Regional and sub-regional news and weather coverage may extend to include overlap areas.

The other ITV channels such as ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4, are not divided into regions, and each broadcasts a single service across the country.

Map ref Freeview Satellite Virgin Media Service area
SD +1 HD HD SD +1 HD/SD +1
  1e
 ITV Anglia (East)[4] Anglia (East) Meridian (East) Anglia (East) Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Anglia (East) Meridian (East) Norfolk, Suffolk, eastern and northern Essex
  1w
 ITV Anglia (West)[5] Anglia (West) Anglia (West) Cambridgeshire, most of Northamptonshire, central and northern Bedfordshire, northeastern Hertfordshire, northeastern Buckinghamshire and southeastern fringes of Lincolnshire
  2e
 ITV Border (England)[6] Granada Granada Border (England) Border (Scotland) Granada Border (England) Granada Central and northern Cumbria
  2s
 ITV Border (Scotland)[6] Border (England) Border (Scotland) N/A[note 1] N/A[note 1] Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders
  3e
 ITV Central (East Midlands)[7][8] Central (West Midlands) Central (West Midlands) Central (East Midlands) Central (West Midlands) Central (West Midlands) Central (East Midlands) Central (West Midlands) Leicestershire, central and southern Derbyshire, southern Nottinghamshire, Rutland and southwestern Lincolnshire
  3w
 ITV Central (West Midlands)[9][8] Central (West Midlands) Central (West Midlands) Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands, Worcestershire and northern Gloucestershire
 ▼  4 ITV Channel[10] — — — Channel — N/A[note 1] N/A[note 1] Channel Islands
  5
 ITV Granada[11] Granada Granada Granada Granada Granada Granada Granada Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, northwestern Derbyshire, southern Cumbrian coast, western North Yorkshire and Isle of Man
  6
 ITV London[12] London London London London London London London Greater London, southern and western Essex, north western Kent, Surrey, eastern Berkshire, southern Bedfordshire, southern Buckinghamshire, and most of Hertfordshire
  7e
 ITV Meridian (East)[13][14] Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Meridian (East) Most of Kent and most of East Sussex
  7s
 ITV Meridian (West)[15][14] Meridian (West) Meridian (West) Central and southern Hampshire, West Sussex, Isle of Wight, central and eastern Dorset, southeastern Wiltshire and southwestern East Sussex
  7t
 ITV Meridian (Thames Valley)[16][14] Meridian (Thames Valley) Meridian (Thames Valley) Oxfordshire, central and northwestern Buckinghamshire, western Berkshire, northern Hampshire, eastern Gloucestershire and southwestern Northamptonshire
  8e
 STV (Edinburgh & the East)[17][18] STV (Glasgow & the West) (Edinburgh evening news opt-out) STV (Glasgow & the West) Sky: STV (Edinburgh & the East) STV (Edinburgh & the East) N/A[note 2] STV (Edinburgh & the East) STV (Glasgow & the West)
(Edinburgh evening news opt-out)		 Clackmannanshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife (except North East Fife), Midlothian and West Lothian
Freesat: STV (Glasgow & the West)
  8w
 STV (Glasgow & the West)[19][18] STV (Glasgow & the West) STV (Glasgow & the West) STV (Glasgow & the West) Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Lochaber, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Stirling, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire.
  9a
 STV (Aberdeen & the North)[20][18] STV (Aberdeen & the North) STV (Glasgow & the West) Sky: STV (Aberdeen & the North) STV (Aberdeen & the North) N/A[note 2] N/A[note 1] N/A[note 1] Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Highland (except Lochaber), Moray, na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney and Shetland
Freesat: STV (Glasgow & the West)
  9d
 STV (Dundee & Tayside)[21][18] Sky: STV (Dundee & Tayside) STV (Dundee & Tayside) STV (Dundee & Tayside) STV (Aberdeen & the North) Angus, Dundee, North East Fife, Perth and Kinross
Freesat: STV (Glasgow & the West)
  10
 ITV Tyne Tees[22] Tyne Tees Granada Tyne Tees Granada Granada Tyne Tees Granada County Durham, Northumberland, Teesside, Tyne and Wear and northern North Yorkshire
  11
 UTV[23] UTV UTV UTV UTV ITV Granada UTV UTV Northern Ireland
  12
 ITV Cymru Wales[24] Wales Wales Wales Wales Central (West Midlands) Wales Central (West Midlands) Wales
  13e
 ITV West Country (West)[note 3][25][26] West Country (West) Central (West Midlands) West Country (West)[note 3] Central (West Midlands) Central (West Midlands) West Country (West)[note 3] Central (West Midlands) Bristol, Forest of Dean, southern Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire, northern fringes of Dorset and Somerset
  13w
 ITV West Country (South West)[note 4][27][26] West Country (South West) West Country (South West)[note 4] West Country (South West)[note 4] Devon, Cornwall and western Dorset
  14e
 ITV Yorkshire (South)[28][29] Yorkshire (North) Granada Yorkshire (South) Yorkshire (North) Granada Yorkshire (South) Granada East Riding of Yorkshire, most of Lincolnshire, central Nottinghamshire, northeastern Derbyshire and northwestern Norfolk
  14w
 ITV Yorkshire (North)[30][29] Yorkshire (North) Yorkshire (North) South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, central and southern North Yorkshire and northern Nottinghamshire
  1. ^ a b c d e f Virgin Media is not available in the Border (Scotland), Channel or STV (Aberdeen and the North) regions
  2. ^ a b On Sky, ITV +1 London is on channel 973 in STV regions
  3. ^ a b c formerly known as "West Country (east)" and earlier as "West"
  4. ^ a b c formerly known as "West Country (west)" and earlier as "Westcountry"

History

[edit]
Main article: History of ITV

Regional branding 1955–2006

[edit]

Independent Television began as a franchised network of independently owned regional companies that were both broadcasters and programme makers. Each regional station was responsible for its own branding, scheduling and advertising, with many peak-time programmes shared simultaneously across the whole network. The companies serving London, the Midlands, North West England and Yorkshire (which were the first to start broadcasting in 1955 and 1956) were responsible for making or commissioning the majority of nationally networked programmes; these companies were known as the "Big Four" before 1968 and the "Big Five" afterwards (reflecting the number of companies). Every company made its own regional programmes.

The network began with companies serving London in 1955, and gradually grew until all companies were on air by 1962, and continued to grow as more transmitters were provided for existing companies during the 1960s and 1970s. Over time, some companies lost their franchises and were replaced by others, and the regions covered by some franchises were changed. From 1993, mergers between ITV companies became possible; as a result, companies began to take each other over to increase efficiencies and to expand. By 2004, all of the ITV franchises in England and Wales were owned by the newly formed ITV plc, the four other franchises being Scottish TV, Grampian TV, UTV and Channel.

Regional continuity branding

[edit]
Further information: History of ITV television idents and Continuity announcers in the United Kingdom

The list below indicates the on-air brand names predominantly used by each regional company, which may differ from the official company name or franchise name. Each company used its own branding:

Thus companies' brands were often seen by viewers outside their own areas, especially the Big Four/Five brands. From 1989, a national ITV corporate identity was established, which saw regional brands combined with the national ITV brand, although the balance between regional and national brands varied from company to company.

By 2002, all regional companies in England and Wales were owned by either Granada plc or Carlton Communications. These companies carried identical schedules, except for regional news and weather which continued to use joint regional and ITV1 branding. At all other times national ITV1 branding alone was used in England but not Wales. Two years later, Granada and Carlton merged to form ITV plc. Regional branding in England was completely abolished in 2006.

Some regions were divided into sub-regions for the purposes of regional news and advertising, but these sub-regions were not usually identified by on-air branding and consequently are not shown here (with the exception of Wales and the West of England which, after 1964, were managed under a single franchise but are shown as separate regions).

Area First on air[31] 1955–
1968[32] 		1968–
1982[32] 		1982–
1992[32] 		1993–
2002[32] 		2002–
2006[note 2]
Northern Scotland 30 September 1961 Grampian Grampian Television Grampian TV[note 3]
Central Scotland 31 August 1957 Scottish Television / STV Scottish Television Scottish TV[note 3]
Northern Ireland 31 October 1959 Ulster Television UTV
Channel Islands 1 September 1962[33] Channel Television Channel Television / CTV CTV Channel
North East England 15 January 1959[34] Tyne Tees Television TTTV / Tyne Tees TTTV / Tyne Tees / North East 3[note 4][34] ITV1 Tyne Tees
Southern Scotland,
Cumbria, Isle of Man 		1 September 1961[35] Border Television Border ITV1 Border
North West England[note 5] 3 May 1956
Granada ITV1 Granada
Yorkshire[note 5] 3 November 1956 Yorkshire Television Yorkshire Television ITV1 Yorkshire
Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire 20 December 1965 Anglia Anglia until 1974
Yorkshire Television from 1974[36]
East of England 27 October 1959 Anglia ITV1 Anglia
Midlands[note 5] 17 February 1956
ATV Central
South and South East England 30 August 1958 Southern TVS Meridian ITV1 Meridian
London area[note 5] 22 September 1955
ITV1 (London)
Wales 14 September 1962 Teledu Cymru from WWN until 1964
HTV Wales HTV (Cymru Wales) ITV1 Wales
Teledu Cymru from TWW after 1964[note 15]
South Wales and West of England
VHF 405-line only 		14 January 1958 TWW (General)[note 16]
HTV (General) until 1985 —
West of England
UHF and digital 		30 May 1970 — HTV West HTV (West)
South West England 29 April 1961 Westward Westward TV TSW
Nationwide breakfast franchise 1 February 1983 — TV-am[note 18] GMTV[note 19]
Nationwide teletext franchise 1978 — ORACLE Teletext

1956, the initial "Big Four" companies


1962, after all companies had begun broadcasting


1965, after Teledu Cymru had been taken over by TWW and its area had been extended


1968, after franchise changes


1974, after minor boundary changes


1982, after franchise changes


1993, after franchise changes

Historical branding in all regions of the ITV network

In the table above coloured highlights denote companies whose broadcasting times were limited:

  • blue denotes weekdays only;
  • pink denotes weekends only;
  • yellow denotes breakfast time only (when all other ITV franchises were off air).

Ownership of regional companies

[edit]
Year: 92 93 94 96 97 2000 01 04 08 09 11 16
Central   Carlton
Communications 		ITV plc
(Thames) Carlton
(TSW) Westcountry
HTV    
(TVS) Meridian UNM  
Anglia  
Granada Granada plc
LWT
Yorkshire YTTTV  
Tyne Tees
Border Capital  
(TV-am) GMTV  
Channel  
UTV  
STV SMG STV Group plc
Grampian
Year: 92 93 94 96 97 2000 01 04 08 09 11 16
Diagram showing the sale of franchisees from company to company to form ITV plc and SMG

National branding from 2002

[edit]

From 2002, all regional companies in England used national ITV1 branding alone for networked programmes. Similarly in Scotland, both the Scottish and Grampian regions were rebranded in 2006 as "STV" at all times.

National continuity branding

[edit]

Continuity branding used for networked programmes, that is, excluding regional programmes.

Area 2002–2006 2006–2013 2013–2020 2020–2022 from 2022 2013
Northern Scotland Grampian TV STV
Central Scotland Scottish TV
Northern Ireland UTV
  • UTV /
  • ITV1
Channel Islands Channel ITV1 Channel Television ITV ITV1
England, Southern Scotland, Isle of Man ITV1[note 21]
Wales ITV1 Wales

Franchise and news regions

[edit]

With all English franchises owned by ITV plc, there have been times when the news regions have not coincided with the official franchise regions. These exceptions are listed in the tables below. For the names of the regional news programmes, see ITV (TV network) § Regional programming.

ITV network regions and sub-regions continue to be used by ITV Media to sell different advertisements in each sub-region.

Area 2004–2006 2006–2009 2009–2013[39] from 2014 Maps
Northern Scotland Grampian Television STV North
Central Scotland Scottish Television STV Central
Northern Ireland UTV
Channel Islands Channel Television ITV Channel Television

Franchise regions 2002–2013
 

News regions 2002–2006
 

News regions 2006–2009
 

News regions 2009–2013
 

Franchise and news regions
since 2014
North East England ITV Tyne Tees Franchise: ITV Tyne Tees ITV Tyne Tees
News: ITV Tyne Tees & Border[40]
Southern Scotland, Cumbria ITV Border ITV Border
Franchise: ITV Border
Isle of Man[41] ITV Granada
North West England ITV Granada
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire ITV Yorkshire
East of England ITV Anglia
Midlands ITV Central ITV Central
Oxfordshire Franchise: ITV Central ITV Meridian
News: ITV Thames Valley[42] News: ITV Meridian
Berkshire,
northern Hampshire 		ITV Meridian ITV Meridian
Franchise: ITV Meridian
South and South East England ITV Meridian
London area
Wales News: ITV Wales ITV Cymru Wales
Franchise: ITV Wales & West
West of England ITV West Country
News: ITV West News:
ITV West and Westcountry
South West England ITV Westcountry
Franchise: ITV Westcountry

Production branding

[edit]

Each regional company was not just a broadcaster but also a television production company. After mergers, all the production arms of the companies acquired by ITV plc were taken over by Granada Productions, which became ITV Studios in 2009. The two STV regions formed SMG Productions, which became STV Productions and then STV Studios.

Former regional companies 2002–2004 2004–2006 2006–2009 2009–2020 From 2020
Scottish and Grampian SMG Productions STV Productions[note 22] STV Studios
Ulster UTV
Channel Television Channel Television ITV Studios
Carlton, Central, Westcountry[note 23] Carlton Productions
All other companies Granada combined with regional company name and logo

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Production logos appeared immediately after programmes ("endcaps") and also, on ITV until 1989, immediately before ("frontcaps").
  2. ^ ITV1 regional names in England were used only before regional programmes
  3. ^ a b From 2000
  4. ^ "North East 3" branding (also "Channel 3 North East") was used between 1996 and 1998
  5. ^ a b c d Area served by "Big Four" or "Big Five" companies
  6. ^ a b c Mondays to Fridays
  7. ^ a b c Saturdays and Sundays
  8. ^ a b Carlton branding replaced Central branding between 1999 and 2003
  9. ^ a b c From 2004
  10. ^ Rebranded "Rediffusion London" from 1964
  11. ^ Monday morning to Friday 7 pm
  12. ^ Fridays from 7 pm, Saturdays and Sundays
  13. ^ a b Monday morning to Friday 5.15 pm (excluding 6 am to 9.25 am daily)
  14. ^ a b Fridays from 5.15 pm, Saturdays and Sundays (excluding 6 am to 9.25 am daily)
  15. ^ Temporarily branded as "Independent Television Service Teledu Cymru" for a three-month transitional period in 1968
  16. ^ Temporarily branded as "Independent Television Service for South Wales and the West" for a three-month transitional period in 1968
  17. ^ a b Carlton branding replaced Westcountry branding between 1999 and 2003
  18. ^ 6 am to 9.15 am daily
  19. ^ 6 am to 9.25 am daily
  20. ^ UTV branding is still used with regional programmes.
  21. ^ Until 2006, regional programmes outside London were preceded by continuity with joint ITV1/regional branding
  22. ^ From 2008.
  23. ^ Although the HTV franchise was acquired by Carlton, its production arm was sold to Granada.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "ITV Media | ITV Regions". ITV plc. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  2. ^ "ITV Regions". ITV plc. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Full service Freeview transmitters | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Tacolneston (Norfolk, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  5. ^ "Sandy Heath (Central Bedfordshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Caldbeck (Cumbria, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Central News". ITV Hub. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Fremont Point Freeview Light transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  11. ^ "Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  13. ^ "Dover (Kent, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  14. ^ a b c "Meridian News". ITV Hub. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Rowridge (Isle Of Wight, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  16. ^ "Hannington (Hampshire, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  17. ^ "Craigkelly (Fife, Scotland) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  18. ^ a b c d "News & Current Affairs". STV Player. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Black Hill (North Lanarkshire, Scotland) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  20. ^ "Eitshal (Eilean Siar, Scotland) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  21. ^ "Angus (Dundee City, Scotland) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  22. ^ "Bilsdale (North Yorkshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  23. ^ "Divis (Northern Ireland) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  24. ^ "Moel-Y-Parc (Flintshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  25. ^ "Bristol Kings Weston (City of Bristol, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  26. ^ a b "West Country News". ITV Hub. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Beacon Hill (Torbay, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  28. ^ "Belmont (Lincolnshire, England) transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  29. ^ a b "Calendar News". ITV Hub. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  30. ^ "Emley Moor (Kirklees, England) Full Freeview transmitter | ukfree.tv - 11 years of independent, free digital TV advice". ukfree.tv. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  31. ^ Guardian Staff (7 October 2003). "Timeline: ITV 1955-today". The Guardian.
  32. ^ a b c d April 2001, "Independent Television: A short chronology (1954-1997)", Soundcapes Volume 4, ISSN 1567-7745, accessed 8 May 2019
  33. ^ "Our History". channelonline. channelonline.tv. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  34. ^ a b "Tyne Tees Television". BFI Film & TV Database. BFI. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  35. ^ Rogers, Jeremy. "Border Television History". Independent TeleWeb. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  36. ^ "Belmont TimeLine", thebigtower.com, accessed 17 March 2021
  37. ^ "Westcountry". Guardian. 5 September 2000. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  38. ^ End of era at UTV as Julian Simmons and Gillian Porter exit, Belfast Telegraph, 26 November 2020
  39. ^ Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (17 February 2009). "Seventeen regions into nine: How the updated ITV local news services will run". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  40. ^ Story, Chris (7 February 2009). "Revamped Lookaround set for broadcast on February 25". News & Star. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  41. ^ "Island set for Granada services". BBC News. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  42. ^ Holmwood, Leigh (20 September 2006). "Launch of ITV region delayed". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
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