ITV Programming Thread

People aren’t getting upset about the ITV Studios labels. Someone just suggested that it might be a nice idea to use established ITV brand names instead of creating new label names..... but people got upset with that idea.

I'm not getting upset about a production company called potato!! I dont give two hoots about it! It was the first random named production company that came to me!

I was just pointing out the random name of it does not scream quality, whereas the name Granada does!! I dont know what you dont get about that?? Its as if you don't want to be seen to agree with me! Don't worry, no one will judge you.

Potato was created to encourage a particular group of talent within ITV to flourish. Because looking after talent is more important than the brand you choose to use.

Spoiler: It worked.

As I've already pointed out, the name of the production company doesn't matter. ITV or the BBC don't commission a show because of the name of the company, they commission a show because the idea sounded great and the average viewer doesn't care who makes the show either. You wouldn't get very far in television if you rejected ideas just because you didn't like the name of the production company.

Indeed. I just suggested that it would be nice if they brought back some of the established regional names, to make the most of their heritage brands, rather than all the random new names.

I never said that they should, and chances are they probably never will.

Not to those of us under 30.

Let's be fair here. Seeing names like Granada and Yorkshire and Central back on endcaps is only going to appeal to a tiny minority, most of whom populate this forum. There are millions of people who don't give a toss what happens on screen between the end credits starting and the title for the next programme.

It's us who need the niche forum to discuss this kind of stuff, remember.

Luckily most of us old dinosaurs over 30 still watch TV and recognise a quality brand (like Granada) when we see one.

Even in the glory days of Thames/LWT, it was always called ITV in this household.

Wonder if that was more common in areas with more than one franchise such as London and areas which could receive two or three regions. Was certainly interchangeable for me growing up, though now at a point where for over half my live ITV has had a national identity.


P.S. I'm sure this has been covered at some point in the last 20 years but did Thames and LWT (and then Carlton/LWT) have agreements in place to advertise each others programmes?

I seem to recall that was the case that both franchisees played each others trailers.

The only time I remember anyone using the Thames brand during my childhood was for the local news programme. LWT did have some more brand recognition, but even then it was still "You Bet is on ITV tonight"

Na give me the ITV, pre 1993 please when regional meant regional and those logos flying proud