BL
Dunno, but I can tell you that I later worked with the engineer with the orange jumper in the Westward/TSW clip at another ITV station, he's an extremely pleasant chap. I also have a clock made up of an identical 2" Scotch quad reel that he has on his left arm - I'm looking at it now, it's both subtle and attractive!
SC
That's the first time I've seen the Westward/TSW handover.
By that point it was really just a rebranding and change of on-air identity, as that clip strongly implies.
TSW had purchased Westward in its entirety during 1981 after being awarded the franchise, so from August 1981 you were effectively watching TSW branded as Westward.
By that point it was really just a rebranding and change of on-air identity, as that clip strongly implies.
TSW had purchased Westward in its entirety during 1981 after being awarded the franchise, so from August 1981 you were effectively watching TSW branded as Westward.
NJ
Neil Jones
Founding member
Was there any particular reason why those that lost their franchises in 1980 didn't finish at midnight Jan 1st 1982 or did the franchise just expire at the end of normal programming at however minutes past midnight that came?
ATV went off the air at 12:34am, while Southern went off the air at 12:43am. TSW did their official handover at midnight but as stated had technically been running Westward since the previous August but changed over onscreen at midnight.
ATV went off the air at 12:34am, while Southern went off the air at 12:43am. TSW did their official handover at midnight but as stated had technically been running Westward since the previous August but changed over onscreen at midnight.
LS
Lou Scannon
The 1980 ITV franchise auction
I thought it didn't become a "franchise auction" until the 1991 one?
Up to and including the 1980 one, wasn't it all actually based solely on business plans/programming commitments (or such like) and not just a "blind auction" (albeit with a "quality threshold" belatedly tacked on)?
Also, I always thought they weren't called "franchises" until the 1991 round and had hitherto always been "licences"? What - if anything - the difference between those two things is, I have never had the slightest idea. Can anyone enlighten me?
VM
Was the technology for instant switching, like what happened in 1992/3, there in 1982/3? TV-am had that 10 minute or so gap initially before instant switching was introduced.
Was there any particular reason why those that lost their franchises in 1980 didn't finish at midnight Jan 1st 1982 or did the franchise just expire at the end of normal programming at however minutes past midnight that came?
ATV went off the air at 12:34am, while Southern went off the air at 12:43am. TSW did their official handover at midnight but as stated had technically been running Westward since the previous August but changed over onscreen at midnight.
ATV went off the air at 12:34am, while Southern went off the air at 12:43am. TSW did their official handover at midnight but as stated had technically been running Westward since the previous August but changed over onscreen at midnight.
Was the technology for instant switching, like what happened in 1992/3, there in 1982/3? TV-am had that 10 minute or so gap initially before instant switching was introduced.
CY
cyberdude
The 1980 ITV franchise auction
I thought it didn't become a "franchise auction" until the 1991 one?
Up to and including the 1980 one, wasn't it all actually based solely on business plans/programming commitments (or such like) and not just a "blind auction" (albeit with a "quality threshold" belatedly tacked on)?
Also, I always thought they weren't called "franchises" until the 1991 round and had hitherto always been "licences"? What - if anything - the difference between those two things is, I have never had the slightest idea. Can anyone enlighten me?
I'd say that the idea of it being a licence would be like the FCC in America issuing broadcast licences to companies (ABC, NBC, CBS e.t.c) where as in the later years it was like Channel 3 was a franchise like for example, McDonalds or maybe OvenClean.
IS
Was the technology for instant switching, like what happened in 1992/3, there in 1982/3? TV-am had that 10 minute or so gap initially before instant switching was introduced.
A switch is a switch, doesn't take long to go from one thing to another. Or it takes as long as it takes to pull out one plug on a patch bay and insert another. AIUI the 10 minutes was because there was a lot of them to do
Remember though that in 1982 there was very little technically that changed to the distribution of the 3 franchises. Unlike in 1993, all 3 new stations came from the same studio centres as their predecessors. It was just a case of using one set of on screen branding one day and another the next.
Presumably there were some technical changes in terms of splitting off the South East and East Midlands but these could just be done in the 8 hours of closedown if need be
Was the technology for instant switching, like what happened in 1992/3, there in 1982/3? TV-am had that 10 minute or so gap initially before instant switching was introduced.
A switch is a switch, doesn't take long to go from one thing to another. Or it takes as long as it takes to pull out one plug on a patch bay and insert another. AIUI the 10 minutes was because there was a lot of them to do
Remember though that in 1982 there was very little technically that changed to the distribution of the 3 franchises. Unlike in 1993, all 3 new stations came from the same studio centres as their predecessors. It was just a case of using one set of on screen branding one day and another the next.
Presumably there were some technical changes in terms of splitting off the South East and East Midlands but these could just be done in the 8 hours of closedown if need be
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 23 October 2016 9:15pm
RD
rdd
Founding member
The "licence" terminology came in 1993, before that the Secretary of State granted a licence to the IBA for ITV, which in turn entered into contracts with the programme contractors for the supply of a service of programmes and advertising. "Franchise" has always been an informal term.
TJ
[quote="Austin Tatious" pid="1030744"]
Also, I always thought they weren't called "franchises" until the 1991 round and had hitherto always been "licences"? What - if anything - the difference between those two things is, I have never had the slightest idea. Can anyone enlighten me?
From the 1991 allocations the ITC (now OfCom) awards licences to operate to the commercial PSO's. There's also a Wireless Telegraphy licence that is held by the multiplex operators.
Prior to tat the IBA was the broadcaster, and built owned and operated the transmitters. They appointed the franchisees as "programme contractors".
One big change in 1991 was that Channel 4 got to sell its own air-time. As there was perceived to be some level of financial risk to the C4 Corporation, a safety-net was devised whereby the ITV licencees would have to bail C4 out. In-fact C4 was so successful that the safety-net went into reverse meaning that ITV got a small subsidy off Channel 4. Very embarrassing.
Also, I always thought they weren't called "franchises" until the 1991 round and had hitherto always been "licences"? What - if anything - the difference between those two things is, I have never had the slightest idea. Can anyone enlighten me?
From the 1991 allocations the ITC (now OfCom) awards licences to operate to the commercial PSO's. There's also a Wireless Telegraphy licence that is held by the multiplex operators.
Prior to tat the IBA was the broadcaster, and built owned and operated the transmitters. They appointed the franchisees as "programme contractors".
One big change in 1991 was that Channel 4 got to sell its own air-time. As there was perceived to be some level of financial risk to the C4 Corporation, a safety-net was devised whereby the ITV licencees would have to bail C4 out. In-fact C4 was so successful that the safety-net went into reverse meaning that ITV got a small subsidy off Channel 4. Very embarrassing.