UTV sell TV business to ITV

Totally agree. I suspect at most there might be a few weeks of 'This is UTV, ITV in Northern Ireland' before the UTV brand is consigned to the history books.

I don't see why ITV would persist for a long period with a brand that's going to be axed. I suspect as far as ITV is concerned, the sooner they can get their brand on air on the other side of the Irish Sea the better.

Inevitably there'll be some grumbling on social media and a few angry letters in green ink from people bemoaning the loss of UTV for a day or two after the change, as happens for example when a heritage radio station rebrands as Heart or Capital, but ultimately in the case of UTV no-one's going to switch off just because the brand's changed. If people want to watch Coronation Street or Britain's Got Talent they'll carry on watching. I suspect many members of the public won't even register the change.

I would imagine ITV will be consulting on redundancy for those sadly affected as soon as possible, with the UTV brand disappearing later this year. I just can't see them spending money unnecessarily on dragging the process out.

Or just keep it as "You're watching UTV" or "Now on the UTV..."

That's not how 'brand alignments' work. I take it you weren't around when national ITV1 brand was launched.

If anything I think UTV Ireland will rebrand first, as UTV in its current form is successful, UTV Ireland isn't, plus it doesn't have long established historical baggage.

I can see that rebranding as UTV Ireland, possibly coinciding with some new ITV rights being secured, and a big ad campaign with major ITV faces across Ireland. I guess they'll still want local continuity announcers though as I expect an Irish voice is preferred. Probably will be a case of revoicing network trailers.

Closing and axing everything that isn't nailed down on UTV is less likely compared to the Charles Allen era, they are more likely to continue with UTV regional opt outs than back then, at least in the medium term.

They are already doing that on ITV programming that they are showing the same episodes of simultaneously - of course the end board is also changed. Much as UTV has been doing since what used to be called the NPU was created in 1997 or so.

ITV Wales style "Northern Ireland" caption under standard ITV idents, and network promos/announcers within six months. All presentation to come out of Leeds within the year.

Late news bulletin quietly dropped over the summer and agreement with Ofcom to reduce local content to Wales levels by the end of the year.

Does Wales even have that any more? Weirdly, DSO means I can no longer get any Welsh reception but last I heard, 'Wales' only appeared on idents before the few regional programmes ITV Wales still has. I'm not even sure that still happens.

ITV plc already have bought UTV Ltd. Which is the entire point of discussion here since yesterday.

Nope, the most you'll get is 'Now on ITV Cymru Wales....' depends on the announcer.

Didn't we had "This is Channel Television, ITV in the Channel Islands"

They tend to say 'This is ITV Channel Television' now...
http://theident.gallery/channeltv-2013.php

Is the Channel local continuity, what little of it is left, still done locally?